THE ATOMIZED DREAM

A very active band, Canvas Solaris keeps releasing one album per year, similarly to those classic prog rock bands who delivered a new studio effort every 9-10 months, at times releasing two albums in one same year. Well, this canvas Solaris that has just released "The Atomized Dream" is a different one since it is no longer a peculiar power trio and now has become a quintet with the assumption of a fixed bassist's role (filled by Gael Pirlot) and a permanent keyboardist (Donnie Smith). This means that there are now two fixed guitarists in the band, and one of them is newcomer Chris Rushing replacing Simpkins. The album as a whole signals a more subtle elaboration of the powerful complex metallic rock that the band had made its signature through its previous recordings: this means that the fusion element has been reduced in favor of a bigger depth on space-rock and electronic explorations. The space-rock factor is very prevalent in the first three tracks, with various levels of preeminence. 'The Binaural beat' offers a monolithic ambience a-la Ozric Tentacles-meets-Hydra Spacefolk, perhaps with a lesser degree of density. 'Reflections Carried to Mirror' establishes a well ordained alternation of robust prog metal motifs and cosmically driven electronic passages. Last, but not least, 'Chromatic Dusk' creates agile industrial atmospheres focused on the techno side of space-rock: the presence of acoustic guitar ornaments provides a pertinent series of textures to the installation of the track's main motif. 'Patterns Spiral into Swarm' brings us the first straightforward connection with the best of Canvas Solaris' preceding two albums: sophisticated sonic elaborations and electrifying timbers revolving around the mixture of thrashed prog metal and jazz-rock, with hints to Crimsonian guitar attacks in some strategic places. But there is more for those who miss the older Canvas Solaris - 'Heat Distortion Manifest' brings a manifestation of pure metallic aggressiveness, combining density and grayness with a clever architecture of sonic power. The influence of Gordian Knot had been vital for Canvas Solaris to grow up stylistically from the "penumbra Diffuse" days, and since this thread had been partially present in some moments of the repertoire, it is only logical that at least one track should bear the aforesaid influence in a more patent fashion, and this is precisely the case of 'Photovoltaic', a hypnotic exercise on dynamic jazz-rock, focused on eerie moods and with a strong Crimsonian component. The moments in which the guitar parts get really heavy are mostly expansions on the serene motifs that had been installed earlier. Within its 4 ½ minute span, 'Solar Droid' has lots of things cooking in a notable exhibition of complexity and chaos: neurotic distortions, radical contrasts of dual guitar shrapnel and silent breaks, unexpected synth ornaments, bizarre links between motifs. The synthesized effect that closes down this track opens the door to the last one, 'The Unknowable and Defeating Glow', which occupies the album's last 10 minutes. This track perpetuates the band's habit of finishing an album with a long track: this one encapsulates the psychedelic, spacey and jazz-rock friendly ambiences that had previously appeared in the preceding pieces: the metal factor is present in some climatic passages. There are certain moments in the interlude in which the band flirts with noise, eventually leading to the explosion of lysergic chaos: the closing climax is very effective in its majestic martial scheme. Canvas Solaris offers yet another excellent adventure, "The Atomized Dream" - while not being as explosive as the band's previous two efforts, it sure keeps the flame of experimental prog metal's creativity alive.