DIGITAL VEIL

"Digital Veil" is the newest and the best album of "The Human Abstract".

Already as I heard it for the first time, I was very possitive surprised. It have very good mix of Death Metal Vocals and harmonic Vocals. Also the Riffs are in a strange way amusingly.

1. Elegiac - Elegiac is a 2 min. intro. And for my opinion the gratest "Extreme Prog Metal - INTRO" I've ever known. 5/5*

2. Complex Terms - It is one of the longer Tracks. I like it much, but in a way it have to much heavy Riffs. 3/5*

3. Digital Veil - It's the hardest Song on the Album. And also the shortest (except "Elegiac") Sadly have this Song no harmonic Vocals. 2/5*

4. Faust - It`s one of the best Songs in the Album. Beautiful and Strong. 5/5*

5. Antebellum - It`s the longest Song in the Album, and also one of the best Songs in the Album. Truly Beautiful. 5/5*

6. Holographic Sight - A very crazy hard Song with a beautiful refrain. 4/5*

7. Horizon to Zenith - This Song is similarly like "Faust". But a bit beautier. I like it very much! 5/5*

8. Patterns - It`s a cool end Song. But not so Awesome like; Faust, Antelbellum or Horizon to Zenith". 4/5*

It's a fantastic Album, nearly at a Masterpiece. 4.5/5

I'm re-writing this review, almost a year later, because I now think this album truly deserves a 5 star rating. This is tech metal at it's peak, a perfect balance of melody, technicality and brutality. Travis Richter really soars over the vocal lines, which make this album one of the best ever melodically, all crafted by musical genius AJ Minette

1. Elegiac

Perfectly sums up what The Human Abstract wants to be. A mix of classical and metal done on four (I think?) guitars. The double acoustic guitar returns in other parts of the album, and really does work fantastically well as a contrast to the harsh sections. A truly epic intro 9/10

2. Complex Terms

Excellent guitar, excellent rhythm, slightly ruined by the excessive growled vocals, but that picks up in the almost entirely clean second half. One of the best chorus melodies on the album in this one, and a lovely 2-bar piano bit which really shows that these guys are more than most metalcore bands. 8/10

3. Digital Veil

Worst song on the album by centuries. No melody at all. And while I can respect the technicality in the guitar, this sort of thing can be expected from basically any tech metalcore band out there, and isn't what sets THA apart. 2/10

4. Faust

Another song, like Complex Terms, that is mostly dominated by growls, with the occasional piece of melody, but those melodies are absolutely stunning. The second half of the song goes into a really nice piano underlay. 7/10

5. Antebellum

This. Is one of my favourite songs of all time. The sheer emotion packed into just 7 minutes of music is astonishing. And so much happens in that time. This song, apparently, is written in sonata form. I don't really know what that means, but I understand it's what classical composers use as a form like pop songs have verse/chorus forms. Either way, it works very well, with the reprises of certain sections being completely amazing. Travis' vocals are completely on fire here, and I adore how the unclean section isn't overpowering and you actually focus much more on the solo. And boy what a solo. Truly heart-stopping. When I read the lyrics, I actually struggle to remember hearing half of them, because all my concentration is on those fantastic riffs. And I haven't even got to the hooks yet. The major hook ("regiments of disconnects emerge?") is one of my favourite of all time. One of those melodies that makes you want to sing it as loud as you physically can.

I could say much more about this, but I feel I'm rambling. Listen to this song before you die or you will never have lived. 11/10

6. Holographic Sight

Another weaker song, especially after the explosion of Antebellum. Doesn't give any fantastic melodies. 3/10

7. Horizon To Zenith

The only 100% clean song on the album, and a very nice one. Travis' vocals here remind me of Thom Yorke/Matt Bellamy (whoever you prefer), and has a nice chorus melody again. This song also boasts the most ridiculously prog guitar/bass syncing I have ever heard. Both guitar and bass play the same notes, taking seemingly random pauses to create one of the most ridiculous sections on the album. 9/10

8. Patterns

This is probably the only song that is clean, but doesn't have an amazing vocal hook in it. Doesn't stop it from being a good song though. 6/10

Overall 6.4/10, 4 stars

Good - Antebellum, the solo on Horizon to Zenith, Antebellum, acoustic guitar, Antebellum, classical influence, Antebellum

Bad - It's only 37 minutes, and take away the bad songs, 26 minutes. And considering the good songs are all REALLY GOOD SONGS, it sort of feels lke they have a bit more in them to give.

Perhaps for many of us, one of the most important issues in composing, arranging and producing an album, while considering creativity and uniqueness on another level, is its uniformity and solidness of the structure. Saying it in a more familiar way, I usually like the album to grab my attention with its very first song and hence, moving forward to the final song, one realizes that the album is following a direct path avoiding too much unrelated, misplaced, and tiring driftage, jumping or contradictions here and there relative to the genre and message of the album.

That desirable creative uniqueness and solidness is what's happening in "Digital Veil", the third album, by The Human Abstract. If you enjoy baroque/classical melodies/music, you need to listen to this work.

"Elegiac" cannot catch a listener's attention any better. It beautifully opens the door to the great experience of the "Digital Veil." (8.5/10)

"Complex Terms" is one the most melodic songs of the album. The lyrics are great. Heavy rhythm and powerful vocal melodies are dominant. And one remains only to enjoy the shifts to the clean classical parts. (9/10)

"Faust" is yet another great track with great lyrics. It's melodic and very arpeggiated- a characteristic combination of brutality and aggression with beauty. Again, in this song one can witness folklore and classical influences. (10/10)

"Antebellum" is beautiful. Sweet clean-guitar arpeggios, heavy silenced and broken rhythms, and with awesome vocal melodies is the longest song on the album (7:29). Filling guitar arpeggios/sweeps are everywhere in this album; well they are technical and extreme progressive metal! :D (9/10)

"Horizon To Zenith"? Wow! Again, another awesome track that beautifully starts with stylish baroque-like melodies and sweep arpeggios. The rhythms are usually broken and silenced as the other reviewer has already mentioned it. This song too, possesses a cool piano part. (9.5/10)

"Patterns" is a just the right track for finishing this album. It's mainly floating on its heaviness over a 12/8 pattern. Vocals are awesome. The guitar solo for this track is probably the best on the album. (10/10)

"Holographic Sight" (5/10) [Good track but not as unique and dominant as others!]

"Digital Veil" (4/10) [The worst song!]

This technically-inclined metalcore swansong from The Human Abstract finds the band dabbling in influences from djent and, particularly where the clean vocals are concerned, early Muse (circa Origin of Symmetry). That's an odd mixup of styles and they aren't always able to hide the seams, but for the most part they are just about able to make work, crafting it into a hard-edged progressively-inclined album which will have at least some appeal to those who crave metal with progressive sensibilities but prefer to go low on the cheese. Wisely knowing when it's just on the verge of outstaying its welcome, the album wraps up at around the 40 minute mark, which I think is about right, and with that the band too decided to call it a day; I guess wearing a Digital Veil to the funeral would be appropriate...