Album Review -Uneven Structure 'Februus' (Basick)

The first word these days in cutting edge, forward thinking,  intelligent metal releases, with a roster including such diverse acts as Aliases, Chimp Spanner, Blotted Science and Ion Dissonance, UK label Basick is at the forefront of the current upsurge of interest in technical/progressive metal, and their newest release is 'Februus'  , by French progsters Uneven Structure.Suffice to say, not only does it uphold the label's remarkably high standard , it's also a bit of a little cracker of a record.

With an approach similar to that of UK tech heads Tesseract, Uneven Structure craft elegant slices of ambient   progressive metal with a sound that fuses the industrial coldness and seismic heaviness of Meshuggah with a sense of atmosphere that suggests the otherworldly , cosmic riffing of  The Devin Townsend Band.Anthemic opener 'Awaken' starts the record off nicely , opening with some delicately surging ambient instrumentation before a crushing , groove laden drop tuned riff  crashes through the calm, accompanied by singer's Matthieu Romarin's remarkably diverse vocals, one minute roaring like the bastard spawn of Djent-Satan, the next employing a sonorous , heartfelt croon that compliments the band's thoughtful, nuanced riffing.'Frost' and 'Hail are both impressive in their schizophrenic grandiosity, while the transition from the blissed out 'Exmersion' into the epic, understated 'Buds' is what's commonly known as fucking genius.

'Awe' follows, and is one of the more aggressive moments on the record, the spectre of Meshuggah hanging over it's bulldozer riffing, in the best way possible. 'Quittance' might just be the best thing Tesseract never wrote,as is 'Plenitude', the highlight of the record,a constantly shifting blend of deft guitar picking, tribal drum sounds,which builds and builds subtly through various sonic moods into a deft blend of machine gun riffing and the band's by now trademark use of immersive layering and textures.Closer, the aptly titled 'Finale', sees the band out on a wash of eerie noise, and leaves the listener somewhat disoriented , but,  hopefully,  satisfied.

With the current wave of Pod using, poly riffing , bedroom Djenters, technical excellence and solid musicianship have become fashionable again, however, what sets Uneven Structure apart is in amongst the tidal waves of production, and the band's grim, gritty riffing, there's real heart and pathos on display here.And although at times it's monumental , cathedral sized bombast can be somewhat overpowering, content yourself with the fact that at least somebody out there  is aiming to think BIG.

Rating: 8/10
For fans of: Tesseract, Meshuggah, Cynic, Shattered Skies
Listen to/Buy the album here: http://basickrecords.bandcamp.com/album/februus
Stephen O' Connor
bornagainnihilist@gmail.com

Blotted Science Signed To Basick!

Not content with bringing us the best in tech and prog metal with releases from bands like Aliases and Uneven Structure, it seems that Brit uber-label Basick Records have added biology loving noise loons Blotted Science to their already formidable roster.Given their previous record of nurturing some of the most idiosyncratic metal talent around, it'll be with an eager eye us nihilists watch the Basick homepage over the next few months.Listen below for unhinged lunacy of the best kind . . .

Stephen O' Connor

Album Review -Aliases 'Safer Than Reality'(Basick)

When tech metal gods Sikth disbanded in 2008, the metal underground lost one it's most unique and talented members, but such is the way of the cruel business we know as music.Thankfully, fans craving their fix of demented UK tech metal can rejoice,because guitarist Graham 'Pin' Pinney is back shredding away, with the rather spiffing Aliases.

One of Sikth's best points was, unlike other exponents of tech/noisecore, they always managed to write some great, memorable songs, and throw some hooks into the melee, and on this front Aliases don't disappoint, with the massive chorus of opener , and current single 'What' Left For Us' worming it's way into your subconscious  almost straight away, and then not leaving FOR FUCKING DAYS.Indeed, the whole album is pleasingly accessible, singer Jay Berast particularly impressive , and surprisingly diverse, changing in a  heartbeat from throat shredding howls to  a Patton esque croon .But fear not ,there is still grooves and riffs aplenty, with guitar work from Pinney and new riffing partner Leah Woodward that is at times terrifying in it's precision and technicality.Indeed the whole band acquit themselves amazingly well, Darren Pugh's octopus-on -crack drumming creating a fulcrum from which around the madness can strike out.  .Just pay witness to the sickening lurch of 'While I Drown', or the schizo blast of 'The Reality Of Beliefs' to hear the band in full flight, a veritable maelstrom of nausea inducing grooves and nagging hooks that is almost shocking in it's immediacy and power.

It feels almost rude to the band, on reflection then, to refer to this remarkable debut as tech, or that dreaded , silly term, Djent metal .This is , plain and simple, a great metal album, well written catchy songs, a fantastic production, and , it goes without saying, some of the most astonishing musicianship you'll hear this year.Check it out, you never know, it may just blow ya mind.

Rating :8/10
For fans of : Sikth,The  Dillinger Escape Plan, Protest The Hero , Tesseract
Listen/Buy the album  here: http://basickrecords.bandcamp.com/album/safer-than-reality
Stephen O ' Connor , for Born Again Nihilist
bornagainnihilist@gmail(dot)com