ALASKA

After their already starlight achievements on The Silent Circus, Between The Buried and Me experienced a bit of a fall where multitude of band members left leaving only Tommy Rogers and Paul Waggoner out in the dust. In replacement for the lost members, we have Dan Briggs on bass, Dustin Waring on rhythm guitar, Blake Richardson on drums which would later become the main lineup for the band even to today. This lineup change definitely improved the sound of the band drastically. Their first two albums were great but they never didn't know what to do with the puzzle pieces that would make for a truly great band. However with this new lineup, this is where the pieces fell into place. This was truly where Between The Buried and Me became a progressive metal band, and Alaska was the key to their gateway into truly becoming a band to take notice of. I dearly love this album and I think it is one of the band's strongest albums to date.

Coming into the album we have All Bodies. I always felt as though their first two albums had a dividing line between if they wanted to be progressive metal or metalcore with songs having one or the other. Immediately with this song we get that line striped away as the two genres coexist with each other. This song is clearly as brutal as one can get, but it's a lot more refined in certain areas. The complexity brims brighter on this song than ever before but in such a way where even the most mainstream of listeners can enjoy. This first song is a star staple already in the band's work.

Next up is the titular track, Alaska. A lot more streamlined, it still carries the same fixation on improving an already good sound, this time more on the metalcore aspects, polishing them to where they can be in tune with the progressive side of the band. It explores what the band can do with their sound and quality with this new line up, and solves the problems the last two records proposed.

Much like the last track, Croakies And Boatshoes still delivers more on the metalcore aspects, but also includes a clear progressive influence in the music. It's a band maturing from their roots and growing into their own fold. Time signature changes and a multitude of riffs on this small little song showcases a band that are attuned to the fact that they are practically creating their magnum opus with this album.

Next up is Selkies: The Endless Obsession. This song is a trip, it's super proggy but still carries brutality and aggression. Every little bit of detail really makes this song great. The space rock influence is also strong with this track. The halfway point reminds me almost of a Pink Floyd song, but a bit American and more modern like. That ending is also super great, the epic guitar riffs just make this song feel like the band finally hit their sweet spot and truly knows what they want to make. It is as grand as any song can get, and this isn't even their most epic song, which is absolutely insane. I love this song from dawn to dusk.

Next up is a short interlude song called Breathe In, Breathe Out. This is the only song I don't care for on this album. It's very small and doesn't really impact the album in any big way other than to give the listener a break. I don't have any strong opinions on this track to be honest, but it doesn't damper my enjoyment of this already amazing album.

After that we have Roboturner. This song is such a treat. It delivers heavy and seamless riffs with a clear focus and creates a more sludge like song with their style. It's pretty intense, all things considered with the relentless beating of the drums and the howling screamo Tommy Rogers provides. Everything just feels super dark and gothic with this song for me, and I absolutely love it. It's definitely a band really having fun in their new environment.

Next up is Backwards Marathon. This is where we really get to see the progressive aspects of the band shine thoroughly. The beginning is this super awesome and heavy song that has a little jazziness to it, the middle is a lot more calm and collected, almost ambient like, and the ending loops right back around the heavy stuff with an epic solo at the end. You can feel the power in the heavy stuff and the meditative sense of fulfillment on the quieter stuff. All of it is smooth as butter and all of it just gives more and more each time I listen to it. It's just that brilliant.

Up next is Medicine Wheel. This is an instrumental track that's a lot more calmer and less metal like. It feels super somber yet relaxing. This track is one that I think makes this album reach its status as a progressive metal masterpiece in my eyes, as it truly feels like the band knew what they were doing. It's melodic and downright pretty at times, heck almost sounds like a post rock track almost, which definitely makes this band feel attuned with the music and creativity around them. It's experimental yet that experimentation fully pays off in the end with such a brilliant and beautiful track. This track on its own is a must listen to me.

Next song is The Primer. We are back in the heavy stuff again, and this time we get some more awesome riffs and playing. Everything about this song feels truly epic and blood rushing. It builds and builds into an epic guitar riff that just oozes beauty even in a song with a lot of screaming and aggressive drumming. It's in a major key I believe which most metal bands strayed away from, but it does make these songs feel way more epic. It's just the way the band plays and progresses and builds into these big climaxes that I cannot help but adore. I am basically fanboying throughout this album at this point, which I have no shame for.

The next track is Autodidact. This is the weirdest and more experimental track on this album. Fast and heavy riffs aplenty but also a lot of jazz fusion and classical piano influences in this song, plus a bizarre sense of nervousness this song gives. I wouldn't call it angry, I'd say this song is confusing, but in a good way. It throws you through a loop the first time you hear it. One thing goes to another and next thing you know you are basically listening to a completely different song. Its inconsistency is its virtue in this department. I love it when bands make a problem into the best thing about a song because it's showing that the worst parts of a song can be the best in the right hands. It's just a super fun song.

And lastly is Laser Speed. This is the only album the band released that doesn't have a big epic final song at the end, and I think it works. This is a really sweet little acoustic song and I think it is a perfect ending to this album. It's not flashy or does anything too heavy or weird or progressive, it's just a fun little track but after all that has come, it's beautiful in its simplicity. It is an end credits sequence for the album and it gives the listener time to really appreciate what they heard, like how a movie has a credits sequence so viewers can really look back fondly on what they watched. It's a tried and true test of love and passion that this band has for their music, and this song is basically a speechless love song in a way, and that's pretty special.

I am in love with this album. It is definitely one of the band's best works to date. Its experimentation works to its benefits and the feelings this album gives off are super well done. I'd be hard pressed not to call this album a masterpiece, it's almost perfect. I highly recommend checking this album out if you just love progressive metal since this album is filled to the brim with awesome proggy moments mixed in with experimentation in the fields of metalcore and even a tiny bit of jazz fusion. Such a fun record to listen to, definitely one of their best works ever.