2011年 Sep 5日 Monday, 12:15

Via is the debut album of progressive/djent band Volumes. This releases continues it's straight-forward Math Metal approach from it's predecessor, The Concept of Dreaming by incorporating Meshuggah-like riffs and metalcore breakdowns. Not to mention Volumes adds breathtaking atmospheric influences behind the nearly interminable chugging from song-to-song.

The album is a devastating hybrid of such bands such as: After The Burial, For The Fallen Dreams, Misery Signals, and Meshuggah; including melodic song structures throughout some songs such as: Serenity, The Columbian Faction, and Affirmation of Ascension just to name a few. Via even includes a few moments of Post-Hardcore cleans in a few of the songs. Unlike many other bands that clog the core genres, Volumes utilizes cleans to a minimum and to where they actually fit the music instead of terrible sounding as if they were forced into the mainframe of the album. Via features the usual metalcoresque vocals reminiscent of Karl Schubach of Misery Signals. Vocals haven't changed virtually at all since the EP, but the vocalist remains solid throughout the album shifting between half-way growled and yelled techniques.

While this album has promising melodic and atmospheric parts spread throughout each song, most of it is drowned beneath the constant chugging which takes away from the overall greatness of the work. Most of the songs have the same tempo which is not surprising since is consists of mostly the same chugging with different melodic riffs in the background. Via is a fun album to listen to if one wants a nighttime space-like vibe that djent bands usually offer, but I don't see the album being the Album of the Year or anything. Via is a solid release but doesn't really evolve from their previous release or provide anything groundbreaking for the genre. Fans of this genre will love the album, but I don't advise any trve metalheads to take time from their blackened death metal bands and give this a listen for they may be sorely disappointed. Nonetheless, give this album a try, you just might like it.

Album Highlights: Edge of the Earth, Serenity, The Colombian Faction, Affirmation of Ascension, Via

Pros: Great Melodic ambiance throughout the whole album. Beautiful interlude tracks. Clean vocals.

Cons: Constant Djent Chugging, Slow song structures for the most part. (I honestly liked the Ep more.)

My Personal Favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIBaLIH7k2A