A NEW WORLD IF YOU CAN TAKE IT

I don't claim to like everything. I know there are just certain styles of music which don't resonate with me for one reason or another. I can articulate why I don't like some genres (for example, most singer-songwriter stuff), while I struggle to find the words to describe my distaste for other genres (like reggae or ska or calypso; the Caribbean is just not my musical realm). Metalcore and post-hardcore are two styles of music that fall somewhere in between for me. I don't really like the vocals common to them (and many other "-core" genres), but there's also something else I can't quite put my finger on. Despite this, every now and then I find a band that I like that incorporates these elements into their music.

Firmament is an Ohio-based duo that plays an energetic and emotive brand of post-hardcore-influenced progressive metal. Yes, there are elements on this record which don't tickle me, but there's still plenty here that I like. And when you handicap this album for my built-in biases, A New World If You Can Take It is quite strong. This review is going to sound more negative than I intend it, but rest assured, I strongly recommend this release.

"Liquid Lush" starts the album off with some nice heavy and melodic guitar passages. The riffs vary from impactful to impressionistic, and the vocal performance is strong. The midsection of this song features some fun and jittery soloing that showcases the band's technicality without plunging into pointless self-indulgence.

In contrast, "Angels in Vermilion" has an airier, post-metal feel to it. The guitars are still heavy as hell, but the production has a certain lofty and ethereal quality. As I mentioned in the intro, I'm not nuts about post-hardcore, and some of the more majestic-sounding passages on this song lean into those genre tropes I don't like. There are good moments mixed in amongst the schlockier passages, but certain passages almost remind me of Christian rock. "Conduit" continues with stuff I'm not nuts about. The clean parts are too glimmery, and the heavier parts lack impact. There are some neat ideas in the guitar lines, but it's hard for me to get past the post-hardcore and metalcore elements I don't like.

"Lunar Caustic" is a 90-second instrumental that features some neat percussive elements, as well as an engaging lead guitar line. Following this is "Deadringer", which kicks off with a powerful and crushing riff. The guitar passages feature interesting irregularities, and I love the slightly-off-kilter feel the band cultivates here. Things slow down near the song's end, and this stripped-back, mildly electronic passage is a nice contrast.

"Decomposure" kicks off with my favorite riff yet. It's a fast, technical lick that really gets the blood pumping. I love the instrumental part of this song, but I'm not enamored with the vocals."High as in Low" continues with strong, exciting, and progressive compositions, and the vocals are a bit better here. It's still in that -core realm, which isn't for me, but the writing and performance is strong enough for me to enjoy it.

The title track starts off with echoing clean guitars and some shiny, electronic-influenced production. The mood is subdued, and the music has a nice and understated feel. Firmament's turn back toward metal is sudden but effective, and the band weaves together the opening's mellower composition with heavier tones naturally.

"After Me, The Flood" is big and melodic with some entertaining and flashy guitar work, but the vocals again kind of take me out of it, at least during the more majestic-sounding moments. I really like the intro of "A Prohibition on Dreaming". It's full of odd, twisting riffs that bounce around the fretboard, but the rest of the song, unfortunately, struggles to live up to this initial promise. The verses are too-slickly-produced, but the heavier moments shine.

"Benedictional" manages to thread the needle on gentler moments previous cuts have struggled with, but in contrast, the heavier moments bore me. The vocal melody again is not something I like, and it all feels a bit angsty for me. If you're a post-hardcore or metalcore fan, it'll likely tickle your fancy better.

The album ends strong, at least. "A Silence Made for Two" features possibly the heaviest music on the whole album, and I could make some comparisons to Meshuggah at moments. Lighter passages are well-deployed for contrast, and everything gels wonderfully. That is the last proper song on the album, with "AζΩθ" (AzOth) being a moody and atmospheric epilogue.

Firmament's sophomore album is fairly long, but there's a lot to like here. The band shines in their heaviest moments, and they are able to do a lot with a pretty limited set of sounds. Again, post-hardcore and metalcore are not for me, but despite that, this is still a strong release. If you like those styles of music, you could probably add another 10 or more points onto my score.

Review originally published here: theeliteextremophile.com/2025/06/09/album-review-firmament-a-new-world-if-you-can-take-it/

Social review comments

Review related links

• Send comments to TheEliteExtremophile
• Report this review (#3210933)
• Buy FIRMAMENT music online with PA partners
• Show all FIRMAMENT MP3/Stream
• Go to FIRMAMENT page for videos, full discography with ratings, reviews and much more
• Go to A New World If You Can Take It page for more details, where to buy and ratings/reviews
• Search the Forum for FIRMAMENT related discussions