COLLUSION

Swiss band Prisma serves up a highly intriguing musical mix on their debut Collusion.

Sounding not too unsimilar to Tool, they mix influences from indie rock such as REM with the heavier sounds of Black Sabbath and Soundgarden, as well as refined prog metal/thrash in the vein of Coroner. The tunes are sombre, intricate and slightly quirky; but at the same time accessible and melodic. Bass and drums dominate the verses, most times with atmospheric guitar use, and the guitar kicks in on the other parts of the tunes.

If you like Tool and similar bands, this disc should be high on your list of music to check out.

A solid debut. Devoted to the Tool cult, the swiss band plays a heavy dark hypnotic rock, based on psychedelic bass riffs and nervous voice, sustained by heavy and granitic guitar.

Though the influences are clear, they are not easy to isolate. The sound is defnitely raw, very clean, uncompromising: it reminds early Tool (Undertow), or the italian post-metal band Ophydian, but there's also something which recalls grunge bands from the 90s. But there's more underneath which keeps the band a little distant from the models. If they were not so dark, pulsing and reflective, one could think about a young re-incarnation of Mastodon.

The band doesn't show off its technical ability: substance overwhelms appearance. Essentials, I would say: the roots of the 4-element rock: drums, bass, guitar and voice. With simple bricks they build various and surprising buildings. And though the band keeps the pace of medium-length rock songs (we don't find 10-minutes prog suites here) they are never banal. Longing to hearing next.

To sum up in two words: raw and unpredictable.

EDIT 2010/02/05: I added one star, because the record seems to be more mature and complete than I thought at a first listening.

An European quartet learns to swim in TOOL waters. They make it really good, especially with tracks like "Over Bodies and Cases" and "Perseverance", which carry this remarkable TOOL vibe. I have no issues with bands that are heavily influenced with other bands, when the first ones are at least good musicians and composers. PRISMA are VERY good musicians and composers, sometimes it even frightens me how they managed to caught this "Aenima" feel to their own material. So, if you're into TOOL, A PERFECT CIRCLE, PORCUPINE TREE and dozens of other bands (not mentioning other TOOL fans like INDUKTI and MENISCUS), "Collusion" is a must . Highly recommended!