DISCONNECTION COMPLETE

[Originally published at The Progressive Aspect]

There is no getting away from the fact that Finnish band Confusion Field are going to be compared with Riverside for their debut album, Disconnection Complete. Not that I've read any reviews for it, as I never do before writing my own (lest I be influenced by the words of others). But the music is undeniably reminiscent of Riverside, so comparisons with that band are surely inevitable. Even the vocals are similar to those of Mariusz Duda. The inflections and accent are different, of course, but the intonation bears a definite resemblance. However, Confusion Field are in no way derivative or unoriginal. They may wear their influences on their sleeves, but they certainly add enough of their own sound to make Disconnection Complete fresh and interesting.

The album crashes into being with lead single Sky Is Never the Same, which shows what to expect from the rest of the set: extremely pleasant and melodic vocals, subtle electronic sounds, waves of keyboards, expressive and powerful bass, bruising riffs, and strong yet subtle drums. The electronic sounds are utilised more in some songs, but never obtrusively so. They augment, rather than distract, and I really love the way they add to the sound of Close Call. As with Riverside, the guitar can be quite Floydian at times, and the solo here definitely sounds inspired by David Gilmour. These two songs provide a strong opening salvo, but it only gets better from here on in!

While the first two tracks have that muscular, melancholic and melodic metal vibe of Riverside, Confusion Field soon reveal they are no one-trick pony. As third song, Nothing Holds the Storm, progresses, it starts to remind me less of Riverside and more of the music of Thomas Thielen (aka t). As much as I like the first two songs, this is where the album really begins to hold my interest. Nothing Holds the Storm is easily my favourite track, and the song that made me fall in love with this album. I love the way the song almost stops midway, before coming back for a magnificent climax. By the last minute, it's more Peter Gabriel than t - and just to hammer that comparison home are those final vocal notes. Wow! But, again, although I am making comparisons, I do not think Confusion Field ever sound so much like anyone that they could be tarred with that feared 'clones' moniker.

Become Invisible begins sounding more Lunatic Soul than Riverside, before then being thrown into a blender with David Bowie, as the rock kicks in. There's another gorgeous Floydian solo, but ultimately this is a terrifically Bowie-esque slice of metallic pop, and is probably my second favourite song on Disconnection Complete. It screams 'single', so no surprise that it was released as third song to promote the album. The keys of main-man Tomi Kankainen (who also plays guitar and bass, and is the vocalist and composer) really shine on this track. And this is part of the attraction of this album, as it blends the worlds of pop, rock and metal seamlessly and mesmerically, providing an incredible variety of sounds whilst still managing to stay relatively homogeneous. Thus, Distort Reality is more Katatonia than Riverside - two similar sounding bands at times, who would never be mistaken for each other. I love the brooding, heavy nature of this song, and it's probably my third favourite here (and the second single released ahead of the album). For me, the album is worth it for these three songs alone, so it's great for me that they come one after the other.

You might think that I would be less enthusiastic now that my three favourite songs have been and gone - but far from it. The music of Confusion Field always feels deliberate, precise, incisive and dynamic - 'Everything in its right place', as Radiohead might say - so none of the momentum is lost and the album remains strong and compelling. The drumming of Petri Honkonen is superb, and often given its turn in the spotlight. Markus Jämsen plays some mean and blistering lead guitar riffs and solos - but the star of the show is definitely Kankainen, who is all over this album. His bass and keyboard playing are an absolute delight. I love the variety of his vocals, and especially the way he sometimes pulls out the stops in the final moments. I mentioned Nothing Holds the Storm already, but check out the vocals at the end of Anxiety Reflected. Its quiet introduction belies it, but this is already a beast of a song - and the climax is explosive. Anxiety Reflected shows how well Confusion Field can create music which is simultaneously heavy and menacing, but immediate and captivating. It has a quieter passage towards the end, which is even more malevolent in its minimalism. It's atmospheric in the manner of a horror film.

See Through Walls is another song that reminds me of a mix of t and Riverside, and I guess, due to its inclusion in the lyrics, as close to a title track as appears on Disconnection Complete, the title comprising the final phrase of the spoken word coda, which leads beautifully into the peaceful sounds of Zen Garden Moment. This is a truly beautiful and relaxing moment of calm within that reminds me a lot of Nosound, albeit with the odd power chord thrown in, and that ever present Riverside vibe. I love the drumming in this number, which adds to the overall psychedelic feel. This is a really nice song, which could easily have been a very effective closing number. Many bands might have done just that, but Confusion Field has one more song for us - and it's the longest yet.

Connecting the Dots is a truly triumphant song. It has a confident, assured swagger, and a positivity that is either missing or only hinted at previously. As can be expected for a longer song, and because of how much some of the shorter numbers have packed in, there are changes in mood throughout. But as with the album overall, the sense of balance is acute. Connecting the Dots, and Disconnection Complete as a whole, traverse light and dark, and aggression, joy and sorrow to great effect. Highly recommended for fans of melancholic metal such as Riverside or Katatonia, but also for fans of neo-prog artists such as t, IT, or John Mitchell, or for those who enjoy the atmospheric soundscapes of bands such as Pink Floyd or Nosound.

Because of the notable metal elements I'm a bit out of my comfort zone here, but this album is in every aspect so well done that I, as their countryman, am sincerely pleased to review it. CONFUSION FIELD is to a large degree a brainchild of one long-time musician. Apart from drums (Petri Honkonen) and lead guitars (Markus Jämsen), the music is entirely made by Tomi Kankainen. His former bands since the nineties include Waterfront Weirdos, Morningstar, Murder In Art and Heathen Hoof (only the first mentioned is familiar to me) that range from prog rock to death metal. Here he plays keyboards, bass and rhythm guitar, does the programming and sings. Let's start with the voice which is exceptionally good. As with the whole music, the vocals have triggered comparisons to RIVERSIDE. And deservedly so. I like the melancholic vibe in Tomi's singing which however completely steers away from the sense of depression and angst typical for heavy/metal -- well, there are some little distorted vocal parts with an extra edge, on 'Nothing Holds the Storm' for instance, but not too much. In my experience as a listener it's very rare indeed that a multi-intrumentalist and composer is such a good singer.

The music blends prog, pop and metal into a coherent modern style. The metal fans will enjoy the power and dynamics in the sound, and those who appreciate the spacier, Floydian elements are also kept content, not pushed off by too radical metal elements. The "pop" in the equation might be understood as a certain melodic sensibility and it's comparable to modern prog oriented acts such as LONELY ROBOT. Yes, I am backing the thoughts of the previous reviewer who mentions John Mitchell. The production -- without a producer outside the band -- is remarkably good. Lyrical themes deal with "psychological issues, reflecting the struggles and decisions of an individual in a modern world", to cite the promo sheet.

Perhaps somewhere along the 51-minute album I get a slight feeling of the songs reminding each other more than necessary, but remember I'm not really into heavy/metal prog and therefor I'm more vulnerable to this kind of feeling. Anyway, the eighth song 'Zen Garden Moment' offers calmness I had begun to miss during the preceding tracks. With a hint of David Sylvian in the sparse, atmospheric sound, I enjoy this melancholic song. The 8-minute 'Connecting the Dots' is a perfect album closer: with its sense of symphonic grandness and passion it's easily the highlight. During the Gilmouresque guitar solo I had an association to Pink Floyd's 'High Hopes'. All in all, this is modern Finnish heavy prog at its best, very good in the international level, and warmly recommended especially to fans of the likes of Riverside.