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Tides From Nebula - Eternal Movement CD (album) cover

ETERNAL MOVEMENT

Tides From Nebula

Experimental/Post Metal


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Second Life Syndrome
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Instrumental albums often receive quite a bit of flack for lacking in emotion or even meaning. I have to say that I often agree with this sentiment, yet I do not think Tides from Nebula's compositions fall into this dreary description. The guys are soon releasing their next album called "Eternal Movement", and I feel that they have expertly titled this release with the word "movement", as this is a very adept description for this album.

Tides from Nebula is a post-metal band, though I'd say that they exhibit post-rock tendencies more readily. They are somewhat similar to If These Trees Could Talk, or maybe vice versa. Either way, Tides from Nebula features a great mixture of post-rock ambiance, mood, and atmosphere plus the technical fireworks reserved for the metal genres. I find that this combination creates music that is moody and meaningful, but not boring.

So, these guys certainly know how to play. Their music is almost fragile in a way, as the high- tuned guitars that they use play vulnerable, soulful leads and solos that weave in and out of the other instruments. The atmosphere soars and is very light., unlike with other post-metal bands that usually have dense, asthmatic atmospheres. On top of this, an impressive rhythm section provides the perfect foundation for the emotional guitar noodling. Awesome, powerful drumming combines with crisp bass work, and in the end supplements the delicious lead guitar. Light, airy, and very controlled; the music moves along at break-neck pace, but still provides a certain serenity and peacefulness. It creates a mood in your mind wherein you just let the music flow. You just let it move through you. Yes, movement is a perfect title. It fluxes. It waxes and wanes. It flows like liquid tranquility. It reaches those dormant parts of your brain, and washes them clean.

For my money, "Hollow Lights" and "Up From Eden" are the best tracks here. "Hollow Lights" has a certain driving rhythm that mixes so well with the ascending guitar work. It's addictive. "Up From Eden", however, feels like a lament that calls to our hearts. Overall, I'm very impressive with this outing from Tides from Nebula, and I highly recommend it to anyone that loves instrumental, emotional music.

Report this review (#1070407)
Posted Friday, November 1, 2013 | Review Permalink
aapatsos
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
2 stars The post-rock/metal scene of the style that Tides from Nebula play seems nowadays overly saturated, to the point where you can not distinguish between bands - a large number of which appear to be following exactly the same recipes and cliches in their search to produce a "post" metal or rock album.

This is the third release from the Polish post metallers and my first acquaintance with the band. Compared to the "typical" post-metal bands or pioneers of the genre (see Isis, Pelican) Tides from Nebula take on a much more post-rock approach to their style, with low tempos and numerous clean guitar passages. The textures are not untypical of the post-rock methodology whereby melodic riffs build up to a heavy climax, fade back and the cycle is repeated. The album starts off quite interestingly with a Maiden-esque riff on 'Laughter of Gods' (cf. Moonchild) and the relative variation in the first half is depicted in 'Satori' with eastern sounds and the dynamic closing of 'Emptiness of Yours and Mine'. Delay loops on the guitars are characteristic of the sound, which relies more upon the atmospheric/melodic atmospheres and less on heavy riffing and tempo changes.

Although not a bad album per se, the majority of the record surrenders itself in cliches and repetitiveness (another characteristic of post-rock/metal bands these days), which results in a feeling of relative boredom and a thought of "I have surely heard this before". If this album stood in isolation, maybe we would be talking for an interesting release. As it stands, this might appeal to the devoted fans of the style or could act as a sample of the scene for newcomers.

2.5 stars. Thanks to Jon Freeman for providing a promo.

Report this review (#1074399)
Posted Saturday, November 9, 2013 | Review Permalink

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