ARAMID

The project has released 2 full length albums and 2 EPs as of June, 2019. The second EP is called "Mountain Sounds". This EP is made up of 6 tracks with a run time of over 30 minutes, with Bryan providing all of the instrumentation and composition for the tracks. The EP is available on Bandcamp for digital download. This EP features various instruments other than guitar, which is usually the main instrument on past recordings, but mostly remain slow and peaceful focusing on atmosphere and texture.

"Sow the Emerald Fields" sets the mood with layered sustained synths and atmospheric sounds that move around like slow and low hanging clouds. A higher pitched melodic line plays softly in the background as if it is hidden in the clouds. "The Greenhouse" begins in a more minimal way with a single wandering melody. This is later joined by more layers and gives the song a more post rock feel with processed guitar sounds and effects, but remains mostly soft and flowing with a slight build and then slow fade as it ends. "Heart of Stone" features a warm and subdued piano with sustained and echo effects with added layers of synth drones. This builds to an almost orchestral feel as the layers create a string section sound. Subdued drums carry the beautiful sound forward in the last half of the track, but they remain deep in the background.

"Hokkaido" is the longest track at over 8 minutes. It uses synth washes with a percussive, tonal instrument, playing in the background softly. The music just floats along with a slight build and more layers again creating a soft orchestral feel, and again subdued drums appear deep in the layered sound. At 6 minutes, the music slowly deconstructs to a minimal, soft synth created sound. "I've Seen this Place Before" is very minimal with washes of synth and guitar flowing in and out around you. There is a bit more intensity added at 3 minutes, but the waves of sound continue to ebb and flow. Another increase at 4 minutes bring the washes of sound closer. This fades far into the distance a minute later. The atmospheric EP closes with "Casting Shadows" with a soft chiming guitar that has a definite post rock sound, but again, it is subdued and surrounded by echoing effects that slowly build a wall around it. The sound shimmers and moves around.

The music is definitely post rock, but remains textural throughout, not distinct and melodic. Soft, relaxing atmospheres are created, usually slowly building and then waning, with controlled dynamics, never building to an extreme, but giving more of a feeling like you are approaching and then moving slowly away from something. The EP is relaxing and does a great job of evoking soundscapes inspired by natural scenes. This is excellent music, well composed and performed, that never becomes threatening, but still has a dynamic feel to it, albeit very slow and gradual and dreamlike.

' This Great distance' is a fully instrumental album of relatively short tracks (10 in total) - the shortest timing at 4.09 minutes and the longest at 7.34 minutes. It is Bryans second solo work, and in his own words :

'I took inspiration from the nature around me. The water and mountains in this region tie a lot of my memories and thoughts together, so I themed the album to that concept. It follows the flow of water out to sea, and the songs relate to important places, events, or hopes in my life. The map included with the Bandcamp download will give you some idea of the story, and the coordinates on the cover reference 4 mountains in the Cascades (Garibaldi, Baker, Rainier & St. Helens)'.'

Track listing is as numbered on the map.

Although essentially a guitar album with the amps cranked up to 11 on the loudest parts, the massive reverbs and delays which are omnipresent throughout help to maintain the intended sense of ambience, even when the guitars are being thrashed at full volume.

All of the tracks on the album follow a similar format, starting out with a slow burn ambient passage, sometimes with synth pads and/or piano, but often built around a simple guitar riff which eventually builds up to a thrashing crescendo of power before tailing off back into an ambient decay.

In terms of exactly which category this album should be placed is very difficult to say as it covers a range of styles and ideas. It's not prog in the traditional sense of bands like Gentle Giant or Yes, and neither is it prog in the more modern sense of something like Dream Theater, but it is way more than a simple rock album. The term 'Ambient Thrash' often comes to my mind when I'm listening to this music, so maybe that's a good categorical description for it.

There are no filler tracks on the album and each track is a delight to hear : memorable, passionately and skilfully played, and easy on the ear. The inspiration and thoughtfulness which has gone into the composition, performance and production of every track is easily discerned by the listener, and the desired effect of a journey through the wilderness is effortlessly achieved in the music as each track progresses.

I find this album to be both inspiring and uplifting. It will likely remain on my regular playlist probably for as long as I continue to listen to music. It really is that good and I can't recommend it highly enough.

I rate it at 5 stars on a personal level but probably 4 stars for this site as it's more of a prog related album than actual pure prog.