VORTICE

In my review of their first album, 'Human Engine', I noted that while Spanish math metal band Vortice was quite good at what they do, there was a lack of originality in their sound that obscured the quality of their otherwise powerful grooves and rhythmic ventures. The band whom Vortice ripped much of their sound from is Meshuggah, and while it is true that many bands have been inspired by Meshuggah to make likeminded music (binding themselves under the style label of 'djent' nowadays), Vortice didn't really add much to the formula of Meshuggah, instead seeming almost like they were intentionally replicating a sound that was not theirs. I therefore went into their second album 'Zombie' with the hopes that they would at least bring something a little different or even unique on their second time around. Sadly, 'Zombie' sees Vortice doing the exact same thing they did on 'Human Engine', and I would dismiss the album completely if it weren't for the admittedly excellent musicianship and killer grooves that the band plays here.

Vortice generally consists of heavy palm-muted riffs that repeat in order to get a steady rhythm going, lulling the listener into a sync of sorts which their deep rhythms and harsh, yet clear sound. The formula is one that Meshuggah pioneered and practically perfected, so there is nothing new to mine, or any math metaller's ears when hearing this. Even their singer has an angry shout that could pass for Meshuggah vocalist Jens Kidman any day. While I will never understand why an artist would want to merely copy another band's sound, Vortice indeed do it very well. There are not many melodies or 'pretty' sounding things here, but I found myself banging my head quite a few times as the album went on. Vortice have a really effective way of building up their rhythms, and while I cannot say much for these songs being memorable on their own, the whole of 'Zombie' paints a powerful experience of heaviness, intelligently calculated use of time signatures, and riffs that are great for leaving the ears ringing.

I cannot say that I am a fan of Vortice for the simple fact that they do not bring anything new to the table that other bands (or another band, in this case) haven't already done better before, but for what it is, it is a good piece of math metal that I could confidently recommend to someone who likes the style more than me.

Had I turned this debut by this band off within the first three or four tracks, I would have dismissed these guys as being nothing more than a shameless Meshuggah clone, and moved on with my life. Indeed, Spanish newcomers Vortice take more than a few straws from the math metal titans, although there is more going on here than I originally gave them credit for. 'Human Engine' is the first album by these guys, and immediately, I can see these guys fitting into a tight niche with listeners set and ready to dive into their headbang-prone grooves and explosive rhythms. Although Vortice are evidently far from the most original outfit I've heard in recent times, they give a strong performance here.

Generally, the wave of bands that follows the style of pummeling math rhythms andguitar tones of Meshuggah have been labelled as 'djent', a style that's gained some surprising momentum over the past couple of years. However, I would not necessarily pile Vortice in with those bands. Usually, the djent bands would take Meshuggah's palm-muted riffs, and add a more accessible element to the sound, such as clean vocals or a more clearly defined sense of melody. Vortice on the other hand stick mostly to the sound and style of Meshuggah, at times almost to the point of replication. We have the lack of melody here, as well as the shouted vocals and unrelenting heaviness. At least for the first part of the album, Vortice gives absolutely not impression that they are anything more than a Meshuggah clone. The music is played as well as Meshuggah, and it is no less enjoyable than your average Meshuggah record. What makes it less impressive is the fact that Meshuggah innovated that sound, whereas it seems Vortice only attempts to emulate the glory of another. That's where my review would have stopped if this album had been comprised only of the first half of 'Human Engine'.

By the second half however, I start hearing some better things that began to indicate to me that Vortice really has alot of potential. There are more melodic sections here, and even a section towards the end that amounts to a very quiet and eerie buildup. Still, there is not too much to take Vortice out of Meshuggah's shadow, but it does indicate to me that there is potential for this band to get out of that gimmick and do something perhaps a little more... well, original, for starters. Vortice plays this style very well, and they get some great grooves across. The production is quite nice as well, albeit a little dry from the modern digital do- over.

Hopefully with albums released after the debut, Vortice will take their talent as musicians and their great sense of grooves and do something a little more distinctive with it. It is granted that not all bands are going to find a truly innovative style to work with, but at least in the case of these guys, bringing something new and fresh to the table could help them get out of the shadow of their big influence.

Stylistically the band play a technical groove oriented metal style, which takes it´s cues from the Meshuggah school of playing, but ultimately is much simpler in execution. The vocal style is aggressive and deep yet not growling, the guitar riffs are crushingly heavy and tecnically complex, and the drumming is skillfully performed. All in all a very well playing band.

The 10 tracks on the 48:48 minutes long album are of a good quality. Well written material that reveals itself to be a bit more varied than what is suggested upon initial listens. A track like "Schemes of Reality" features sludgy elements and the great closing title track features some well played and tasteful percussion. The album is relatively well produced too and upon conclusion "Human Engine" is a pretty decent album by Vórtice. It suffers a bit from the lack of an original sound, and that´s definitely what the band should work on for future releases, but other than that "Human Engine" is a good quality album deserving a 3.5 star (70%) rating.