THYESTES

Unfullfilled potential

The second of two EPs which represent the total output of ABERRANT VASCULAR, "Thyestes" (2005) contains three tracks running for a total of around 13 minutes.

The music here is looser, and less structured than the first EP. The brief opening "Seulement Pour Les Alienes" is a quick dash through some swirling keyboards and frantic guitar in the style of SYMPHONY X, before some brief high operatic vocals lead us into " Ishi". Here the sound is generally more chaotic, with less melodic operatic vocals than appeared on the first EP. There is still plenty of pace and melody changing, and a general resemblance with bands such as THERION, but less so with RHAPSODY this time.

The third and final track " Meisekiyume" features a mixture of growling and operatic male vocals, with symphonic keyboards and dramatic interludes. Once again, the sound tends to become chaotic, but shows the band to be adventurous, avant-garde, and experimental.

Those who enjoy the more challenging end of the prog metal spectrum will find this EP to be interesting and enjoyable. Clearly Aberrant Vascular are both original and exciting. They have the potential to make a great album, although they will need to develop a tighter sound if they are to enjoy any significant degree of success.

The EP is currently available for free download at the bands official site, linked to from their Progarchives page.

A year after their first EP Aberrant Vascular returned with a second EP, Thyestes, continuing from were the five some left off on Actaeon. What a difference a year makes, this EP shows that the band is improving fast and capable of producing very interesting metal.

Stylistically Thyestes is very much in the same vein as Actaeon, but this time the three songs presented here are far more cohesive and well thought out. These songs flow much better than their previous work whilst still retaining a unique feel, primarily due to the very prominent and virtuoso keyboard playing without the virtuoso guitar playing that normally accompanies metal bands with such a line-up. Vocally, Thyestes is much better than Actaeon as well due to the fact that Lumi has dropped his use of death-metal growls, something I felt didn't work at all well.

The band seems to have gelled and the result has been a very impressive EP that leaves the listener wanting to hear what else this band is capable of doing. The music is coherent and powerful, and the songs offer a very strong, doom laden atmosphere created through some intense playing. I suggest in my review for Actaeon that the band should create longer songs to fully explore their ideas, but they have proved that they didn't need to, the songs are about the same length as before but work much better. This EP is well worth listening to and we can only hope that the band produce a full album as I would definitely give that a listen.

"Thyestes", the second EP and what many believe to be the last release from this intelligent Finnish avant-metal band, is by far one of the craziest yet brilliant pieces of short music that I have had the pleasure of listening to.

As I write this review right now, I can say with no remorse that this is by a million miles the finest EP that I have heard. So by now you are probably realizing that I find this to be a brilliant piece of music, which is very true. The reason that this EP is ranked so highly in my book is the fact that it is a frenzied operatic metal experience, but is still incredibly thought-out and carefully planned which makes for a stellar combination of intriguing hardcore metal music.

The first track, "Seulement Pour les Alienes" opens up with an almost spacey feel to it, until the ripping guitars and smashing keyboards blaze through the bulk of the song, which ends in high style with a spectacular display operatic skill. "Ishi" is hailed by many, myself included, as being their best song. The reasons? It is just simply the most intricate piece of metal I have heard, very delicately constructed yet powerful beyond belief. The same style keyboards and guitars tear open the song, but instead of the opera styled vocals, a hard-edged power chorus is featured. The singing just might be what gives this song its power! "Meisekiyume", the final track, is sometimes overshadowed by the brilliance of "Ishi", but this is a very strong work as well. The amazing intro gives way to the same swirling effect that started out the two previous songs, but then a growling vocal mixed with an angelic background style is thrown in and the song starts to get really crazy. Towards the ending of the song (about a minute remaining, estimated) the sheer power of the drumming can finally be heard over the thrash of the guitars for the first time in the album, and it sounds like no other metal drumming has before. A great way to close an excellent EP.

I really hope that this will not be Aberrant Vascular's, because judging by the improvement from their first EP (which is nothing to scoff at, either) to this most recent work, which is far and away the best EP I have heard, they show such incredible promise for a smashing full-length album debut.

I give it 4 stars, only taking a star off because of the lack of time. If this was a full album, with songs like these 3, there would be no doubt of a 5 star rating. Brilliant and complex avant-metal, highly recommended for anybody, especially for fans of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and such.

One thing people should know is that this and their first EP are both available for free download from the band's website, and this is supported by the band themselves so it is perfectly legal. Do not miss out!

'Thyestes' - Aberrant Vascular (4/10)

Continuing from their unfulfilled first demo 'Actaeon', the Finnish 'operatic avant-garde metal' act Aberrant Vascular returns with another brief dive into their unique, yet flawed music. A band that hasn't ever truly impressed me beyond the charismatic voice of their vocalist and a unique spin on symphonic metal, I haven't had the best luck with this band, and 'Thyestes' is scarcely different. Although quite a bit better than the first demo, the second 'Thyestes' shows the band continuing to struggle with many issues in their sound, although it is certainly worth a single listen for the more adventurous metalhead out there.

Here, a listener can hear elements of electronic, industrial and symphonic music thrown into this dark metal soundscape. What I described as 'gothic horror' music in the first review continues to be true here; operatic tenor Vladimir Lumi's booming voice overtop tinny keyboards and tritones aplenty does give the feeling of a theatrical darkness. Unfortunately, this sound passes as being a bit cheesy, in no small part due to the rather cheap sounds of the keyboard (a running issue with the band) and the intentionally weird sounding vocal effects the band employs here.

While certainly avant-garde in nature, there isn't enough here to digest over the course of many listens. However, there is some cool stuff that is worth listening to on 'Thyestes'. Primarily, it is the voice of singer Vladimir Lumi who steals the show, although the guitar work is also more prevalent here in it's technicality. Unfortunately, the sense of improvement does not carry over to the songwriting itself, which still feels far too over the place to give a satisfying experience.

Another disappointing release from Aberrant Vascular.