TESSERACT

The songs appearing on the album are rather straightforward yet sufficiently complex and engaging, exploring laboriously the techniques and dynamics of djent, which is a sub-genre the band has been associated with since their early days. The music can get rather intense and emotive, with vocalist Daniel Tompkins delivering one of his most expansive and illustrious performances, supported by the brilliantly dense web of guitar, bass and drum patterns, acute and punctual, subtle and well-calculated, there is an aspect of perfection to the music of TesseracT, and this album does a perfect job in exemplifying just how immersive this style of prog metal can be once entwined into the webs of masterful songwriting. Its shorter length allows 'Sonder' to feel really cohesive, focused and collaborative, as every single element of the various songs fits the overall idea and the grandiose feel of suspense that is creeping around the very fabric of the musical landscapes here, often in the form of fascinating ambient textures. The band alternates between heavy passages, majestic technicality and melodic, almost electronic washes of sound, which are elevated by the overall accessibility of this album, through excellent tracks like 'King', 'Juno', 'Mirror Image' and 'Smile', just perfect examples of the group's collective strengths. Entries like 'Orbital' and 'The Arrow' have an interesting, spacey and almost complementary role to the rest of the heavier pieces, giving the album sufficient depth and utility. Excruciatingly excellent work of art from a talented young band!

An immense live by its duration, by its energy, especially by the presence of 2 large pieces that are 'Of Matter' and 'Concealing Fate (Parts 1-3)' which are already worth to themselves to acquire this live .

TESSERACT does not stop playing rock on the border between metal and djent and shows that the combination of the two can be the ROCK of tomorrow at least for today's youth. the titles follow one another and thus offer a good review of their previous studio albums without the intensity decreasing.

I admit that, taken in isolation, I might feel differently about this record. After all, all the elements that fans love about Tesseract are here: trippy riffs, beautiful ambience, big choruses, funky bass verses, etc. But when compared to the previous three records, there is simply nothing here that stands up favorably by comparison.

I imagine Tesseract fan boys who don't expect their progressive music to progress will be satisfied with this record. For those fans hoping Tesseract would use their truly impressive abilities and musical foundations to progress music further, this album will bore you to death.

(Please take in consideration that I refer selectively to the most mainstream metal acts when I say 'prog metal', and not to the genre as an entirety, which I recognize is FAR too varied, and honestly, prog metal more of an umbrella term than anything else.)

I have an antipathy for the modern mainstrean prog metal scene. I feel acts differs little among themselves, all opting for a more or less homogeneous sonority that resembles metalcore which has NEVER been appealing to me. The boring choruses and uninteresting, similar vocals are my biggest pet peeves of many bands and many songs. Talking about djent specifically, it's hard for me to think of it as a legitimate genre because it has so few characteristics that make it different. Use of polyrhythms, distorted palm muted guitar riffs, and... let's call it a day, I guess? So, I opt to think of djent as an adjective rather than a subgenre.

My distaste for modern prog metal music (and djent) was rather unfounded though because I made very few scarce contacts with it. TesseracT particularly has always been judged by me as dull, the product of my ephemeral contact with its latest release, POLARIS. Assuming my tastes developed since then I was rather skeptical whether this judgment was fair, so to settle both issues - discover if my distaste for mainstream prog metal (and djent specifically) is reasonable & if Tesseract is truly boring - I decided to check the band's best work, CONCEALING FATE.

In many moments the EP contains exactly what I expected (and was afraid of): screaming, harsh (uninspired) singing that as the lad below me stated brings images of LINKIN PARK; blasts of distorted guitar; and occasional acoustic parts that, for as much as they tried, lacked emotion. It wasn't nearly as insufferable to go through them as I supposed it would, though.

Judging this to be a wasted effort and taking for granted that the music was offputting, a trait of djent I forgot that existed struck my ears: guitar breakdowns. There are many, and they are terrific. The parts those heavy technical distortion accompanied by intricate drumming arrived, my eyes popped wide open. When the vocals silence, the guitar shines and rules supreme with its fluid brutal complexity.

Act 1: Acceptance is forgettable. Act 2: Deception is when things start to become interesting, this section being the epicenter of the djenty breakdowns. Act 3: The Impossible is also generally uninteresting except for the last minute that features some spicy drumming. Act 4: Perfection starts to incorporate the technical riffs on the verse, making them interesting; also, the singer shifts to nicer clear vocals rather than the piss- poor screamo hitherto used. Act 5: Epiphany is by far the most complex section - polyrhythmic, heavy, highly technical, lacking vocals, vicious- and Act 6: Origin follows Act 4's clearer style.

As a metal act, TesseracT fails for me. Now, if I think of their specific 'djent' trait, I have to recognize that those guys deliver a fantastic EP. However, I find distressing when an album can only be classified good under specific conditions - "only as djent, but not as general metal". Is the music or only a specific trait of it genuinely good?

Well, this wave of djenty metal bands is worrisome. The blatant musical likeness depicts a lack of originality and innovation. Why stick to polyrhythmic and palm muted guitar riffs when so much amazing things can be done? I agree, it sounds pretty dope - and drew my attention -, but countless new groups are jumping on this bandwagon instead of unleashing their wings and embracing creativity, something maleficial for the (metal) genre as a whole.

CONCEALING FATE, individually, is accomplished. But, in a certain way, it's a symptom of the concealed fate of prog metal: a shift from being "prog" - music that expands the boundaries of metal - to being "technical" - mere repetition of complex riffs and structures - ; the usage of a formula, rather than the attempt of experimentation. If you brush those thoughts aside, however, the djenty headbang will be pretty pleasing.

(rather exceptionally, I opted to not use uppercase when referring to the band name)

What "Altered State" lacked in vocal energy, Tompkins revives in "Polaris." After hearing their latest album and replaying their prior album, I am suddenly aware of the lack of vocal drive in "Altered State." Although Ashe O'Hara is an amazing musician, his vocal style and delivery don't seem to match with what the remaining members of the band dish out. Tompkins' soaring vocals seem to resonate in my ears longer, lighting a fire from under me. Those screams sparsely present in "Polaris" were dearly missed, and should be met with applause when first belted out live. With each play, I am becoming more of a fan of his work, and hope he stays with the band for many years.

Being pioneers of the djent community, their music blends influences from several brands of metal and rock. Unfortunately, being a pioneer would also mean that they are unafraid to push the boundaries. When listening to the album, the saying "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" first comes to mind. As much as I loved the drastic difference between their brutal lows and beautiful highs, I felt like I've experienced this all before. It pains me to say it, but what "Altered State" lacked in its vocals, "Polaris" lacks in its orchestration. It's hard to criticize such a talented group of musicians. The production quality is phenomenal, the bass grooves by Amos Williams are heavy and intricate, and the drums fills by Jay Postones are downright delicious. So why is it that I feel indifferent? Could it be that I have no favorite song after a few listens? Or is it the familiarity of certain sections of songs, and how similar they are to previous albums? Your guess is as good as mine.

Maybe focusing on "Polaris" as its own album instead of comparing it to prior albums may give it the praise it deserves. From the opening notes, "Dystopia" bashes the listener with those chunky chords, and is definitely a contender for top honors. The first three songs could be considered as one continuing thought, being one of the most progressive attributes of this album. The whole second half feels like a collection of individual songs in comparison to the smooth transition between these three tracks. The two singles "Messenger" and "Survival" are easily the most radio- friendly, considering their familiarity and likelihood to route a new audience. The album also contains a couple softer tracks, including the atmospheric "Tourniquet" and the uplifting "Phoenix." Did I mention the rap section of "Utopia?" Yeah, Thompkins goes rogue on us metal fans with that unexpected vocal delivery to close the song. The album ends with the epic tracks "Cages" and "Seven Names," two songs that lean on the softer side, but still contain that classic TesseracT sound.

So what is my consensus on "Polaris"? I honestly don't think I even know. On one hand, it could be worthy of being nominated as one of the best albums of 2015. On the other hand, it's underwhelming compared to their prior releases. I have a feeling with repeated listens my appreciation for this album will increase, and so will yours.

Taken from Crash And Ride Music

Sadly, O'Hara left Tesseract due to creative differences with the group, which he revealed on social media in June 2014. Shortly thereafter, Tesseract announced the return of Tompkins, who is a very talented musician in his own right. He appeared on the band's debut album, One, in 2011 and has been involved in several other projects -- including Skyharbor's 2014 album, Guiding Lights. But Polaris was his biggest test yet. This record was Tesseract's chance to cement a spot among progressive metal's heavyweights. Great bands follow up their breakthrough records with a record of an equal (or even greater) quality. For example, Queensrÿche made the impressive Empire in 1990 following Operation: Mindcrime in 1988, while Dream Theater released the breathtaking Awake in 1994 after releasing the legendary Images and Words in 1992. Yes, Tesseract had a tough task in replicating the brilliance of Altered State, but they have the talent for the challenge. Acle Kahney and James Monteith are killer axemen and bassist Amos Williams and drummer Jay Postone are technical gods. Despite falling flat, Polaris does have its stellar moments. The disc begins with the catchy headbanger "Dystopia" and then flows into the ethereal "Hexes," which might be my favorite of the nine tunes. Next, "Survival" is pretty much a flawless song that's worthy of radio play, while "Seven Names" climaxes with such intensity that it's hard to resist singing along with Tompkins. Oh, and let's not forget the incredible "Cages," which has a slow build that gave me instant chills. But still, as much as I wanted to like Polaris, it misses the mark. That's not to say it isn't a good record (it is), or that new/old frontman Tompkins isn't a good singer (he is). There's just a certain magic missing. And since Tompkins is the sole change from Altered State, it's only natural to wonder how O'Hara would've vocally approached Polaris.

The fan reaction to Tompkins is mixed -- with some revering his technical chops and others, like me, preferring the vocal choices of O'Hara. For example, a fan from the Dream Theater Forums said he thinks Tompkins is a terrific singer, but the vocals on Altered State are just "so good" that he will always have a "what if" feeling with the band in regards to the singing. Another fan said that Tompkins' voice just doesn't have the kind of texture that O'Hara's has. "He is a decent singer, but there's not a lot of character there," she said of his performance. If you're a fan of Tesseract or progressive metal in general, I'd definitely recommend Polaris. It's a solid disc, but it pales in comparison to their prior release. Of course, I'll give another chance to Tesseract and Tompkins. I just hope their next effort shines brighter than Polaris.

- Michael R. Ebert (progzombie.blogspot.com)