22: Flux + ESP (4.5/5)

Year: 2010

Genre: Progressive Mathpop

Label: Best Before Records

TRT: 47:55

At first I wasn't entirely sold, but the more I listened, the more sold I got.

Now I'm bought and paid for.

They're like Circa Survive meets The Mars Volta meets Meshuggah meets glitter and glowsticks.

I'm in love. I can't get enough.

01 Plastik

02 Gotodo

03 Flux

04 I Am That I Am

05 Disconnecting From the Grid

06 Kneel Estate

07 Loopwhole

08 Power Is So Yesterday

09 Perspective Pleiadian

10 Susurrus

11 Abdomental

their EP ESP (Extra Sensory Play) is also fantastic.

Cloudkicker: ]]][[[ (5/5)

Joshua's Top Five EPs of 2010
#1 of 5



Year: 2010
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Self Released
TRT: 15:46

Ben Sharp said in an interview recently that one of the main reasons he started making music was to see how many layers he could fit in a song. This brief EP is a testament to that. Moving in a bit of a different direction than The Discovery, ]]][[[ is more focused on the build up than the pay off, but because of this the pay offs are some of his best to date. A nice little bite-sized snack that is substantial, regardless of size.

1. #
2. %
3. $

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Periphery: Periphery [Instrumental] (4.5/5)

Joshua's Top Ten "Metal" Picks for 2010
#5 of 10



Year: 2010
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Sumerian
TRT: 71:26

This album has been in the works for more than 5 years. Fighting through multiple line-up changes, most notable a veritable revolving door at the vocalist position, this labor of love was finally released. And it comes off in a bit of a "we're just going to get this fucking thing out there and move on" sort of way, mostly because every song on the album has been online in one form or another for years.

Be that as it may, this album kicks much ass. Thick, mean, and impeccable executed, the music sounds better than ever. Unfortunately, The vocals are another matter, but since they released an instrumental version of the album too, I'm going to give Spencer Sotelo a pass on this one. He came into the recording process with a very short period of time to learn lyrics and vocal parts written by previous singers with different styles, and did the best he could at the time. Since then he's grown substantially as a performer, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in his own right.

Having said that, I would recommend getting the instrumental version (though both are provided here). Listening to the version with vocals first, and then a few weeks later listening to the instrumentals, it was like listening to the album for the first time all over again, because so much of the nuances and subtleties are masked or obscured by the often distracting vocals. They do grow on you after a time, but if you're only going to get one, get the instrumentals.

01 Insomnia
02 The Walk
03 Letter Experiment
04 Jetpacks Was Yes
05 Light
06 All New Materials
07 Buttersnips
08 Icarus Lives
09 Totla Mad
10 Ow My Feelings
11 Zyglrox
12 Racecar

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Benea Reach: Alleviat (4.5/5)

Year: 2008
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: TABU
TRT: 50:22

This band slipped under my radar a long time, mostly due to me confusing them with the lackluster metalcore band Sinai Beach. However, if I’d only dug a little deeper, I would have instantly sought out their music.

For one thing containing an ex-member of Extol would spark interest regardless, but the descriptions of their unique style of music and list of purported influences would have been cause for immediate investigation. As it is, I acquired them for the loose reason of “they’re kinda like Periphery or Textures”.

This is their sophomore release, and is even better than their impressive debut. Melding elements from such diverse genres as post-hardcore, progressive metal and ambient post-rock, they’ve just about perfected their sound on this release. The vocals are also a highlight among a reel of highlights. I loved Ikkae’s delivery style and tone in his previous band Selfmindead, and always wished he was in a band that did justice to his talent. Wish: Fulfilled.

So having said all that, maybe this will pique your interest: “they’re kinda like Periphery or Textures”.

01 Awakening
02 New Waters
03 Lionize
04 Sentiment
05 Reason
06 Legacy
07 Rejuvenate
08 Illume
09 Zenith
10 Unconditional
11 Dominion

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Animals as Leaders: Animals as Leaders (5/5)

Joshua's Top 10 Metal Album of 2009
#1 of 10


Year: 2009
Genre: Progressive Polymetric Metal
Label: Prosthetic Records
TRT: 51:50

This is the latest offering from Tosin Abasi (Reflux), and it's the best thing he's ever done. Initially Abasi rejected the idea of releasing a solo instrumental album, feeling it would be "egotistical and unnecessary".

I for one am thrilled that he decided to put aside his misgivings, and essentially prove himself wrong.

Here we have an incredible collection of groovy tracks that are actual songs, not just an excuse for some virtuoso to demonstrate their guitar wankery to the world. This album is actually a lot of fun to listen to, because it's a good album, not simply because it's technically proficient.

Having said that, Abasi is surely at the top of his game with this release, and there are many "WTF" moments that leave me reeling every time.

Abasi enlisted Misha Mansoor (also known as Bulb) of Periphery renown to help with the production, and it's rumored he actually helped with a bit of the writing and playing at times.

01 Tempting Time
02 Soroya
03 Thoroughly at Home
04 On Impulse
05 Tessitura
06 Behaving Badly
07 The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing
08 CAFO
09 Inamorata
10 Point to Point
11 Modern Meat
12 Song of Solomon

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