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Miosis |
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Albedo Adaption |
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Rating |
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Style: |
Progressive Metal |
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Release date: |
January 23rd 2009 |
I’m sure the guys in
Miosis are (or at least soon will be)
getting pretty tired of hearing this, but there’s no
escaping it: the debut album from Swedish Miosis –
Albedo Adaption – sounds a whole lot like Tool
and A Perfect Circle. However, they add enough of
their own flavours and styles to make them stand out as
a band in their own right.
Originally formed in 2005
in Gothenburg, the band has taken their own sweet time
getting this first effort off the ground. The self
produced EP “Konvolut” was released in 2007 and received
rave reviews in a number of fanzines across the globe,
and thank … whomever for that, because they persevered
and cranked out this gem of an album.
The music may sound akin
to Tool - a mixture of melancholy and dark progressive
rock with some alternative influences that all
contribute to creating an intricate wall of sound that
accompanies Erik Skoglund’s haunting, at times almost
desperate, voice. In my opinion, one of the great things
about Miosis is that they don’t overdo it as certain
other bands in the genre may have a tendency to. They
keep it simple, refrain from utilizing odd vignettes of
noise or industrial sounds or speaks, and add to that
formula some sweeping, very modern sounding choruses
that seem catchy and lively, a welcome contrast to the
feeling of despair and bleakness that pervades the
brother part of the album.
Despite the fact that the
songs were written during the span of a number of years
(Red, apparently, being the newest and Once Divine the
oldest), the album comes across as remarkably
consistent. That quality, however, may also be my main
qualm about Albedo Adaption, because a bit more
variation would have yielded a higher score from my
hand. I also find the drum sound a bit on the aggressive
side, a bit tiring in other words, but that may be due
to the quality (or lack thereof) of the MP3 files I’ve
been listening to, so I won’t let that minor detail
detract from my overall rating of the album.
So, to put it briefly,
this is a very accessible yet dark progressive metal
album that is highly recommended to any fan of Tool,
The Mars Volta and “similar” intelligent music in
general. A fine effort indeed despite my few
reservations.
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Tracklist |
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01. |
State of Lacuna |
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02. |
Once Divine |
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03. |
Our Floods |
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04. |
Benandanti |
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05. |
Flow |
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06. |
The Lucid |
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07. |
Red |
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Label: |
Lion Music |
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Promotion: |
Zink Music |
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Distribution: |
Bonnier/Amigo (Denmark) |
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Artwork rating: |
60/100 |
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Reviewed by:
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Martin Mathiasen |
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Date: |
January 26th 2009 |
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Website: |
www.lionmusic.com |
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Miosis –
Albedo Adaptation
2009 Lion Music
Mark this as one of the darkest progressive metal albums you
will hear, for Gothenburg’s Miosis know how to really
cast a pall and haunt a mindset of a listener to pastures
beyond the normalized sorrowful state of mind. Consistently
striking with the technical grandeur of Sphere of Souls and
Evergrey along with the dark vibe of Katatonia and Paradise
Lost, Albedo Adaptation is melodically moving &
complex record, but never jagged nor overzealously riddled
with extremities.
Seven tracks encompass the record, with the guitar riffage
dominating the melodic stance (there are some synth
overtures here and there), churning and grinding through
hard driving tunes such as “The Lucid,” “Benandanti,” and
“Once Divine” that are mid-to upper-mid-tempo, faceted with
the occasional staccato wielding to keep everything from
being pulled down deep into droning territories; yet it’s
the final tune, the extended “Red” that brings the doom
element to a whole new level, being sub-symphonic mourning
number that shows that sophistication does not always mean
happy-go-lucky.
The album has a layered sound, while the drums are up front,
giving the record more power – not to mention that the
vocals of Erik Skoglund have a straightforward ‘rock’
styling instead of being what could often be overdone
operatic style vocals or even guttural growling – it proves
that the vocals used in that manner provide a more direct
approach to the record’s overall metallic edge. For those
who love a little more edge to goth relevant metal or even
gloomier tones to the more technical scheme of things, give
Albedo Adaptation a listen.
Added: February 22nd 2009
Reviewer: Tommy Hash
www.ytsejam.com
Score:
Related Link:
Miosis link
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