By: Jez Feral Williams
Album Type: Full Length
Date
Released: 07/07/2015
Label: Metal Blade
Memory Palace" is just shy of ten minutes, but is delectably
technical; the song takes you with them as you hear all of the members
brilliantly playing their instruments, unrestrained with everything on the
table, indeed for me only BTBAM can
juxtapose melodic sentiment against a backdrop of brutality, and overall the
record is so masterfully orchestrated.
“Coma
Ecliptic” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Node
2. The Coma Machine
3. Dim Ignition
4. Famine Wolf
5. King Redeem - Queen
Serene
6. Turn on the Darkness
7. The Ectopic Stroll
8. Rapid Calm
9. Memory Palace
10. Option Oblivion
11. Life in Velvet
The Review
I remember working on
Sunday's at a retail store. Employees were allowed to choose whatever they
wanted to play, except on Sunday's. On Sunday we were supposed to keep it light
for the church crowd. Me and the assistant manager would say "Fuck
that," because we’d usually be hung over, or just not in the mood to deal
with people. So we would put on Alaska
and The Silent Circus, because it was
heavy as fuck, distracted customers from coming in, which meant having little
work to do. Plus, we thought it was funny.
It is these memories that remind me of my
first introduction to Between the Buried And Me, with "Selkies:
The Endless Obsession," "Shevanel
Cut a Flip" and "Colors" being particularly notable
songs in my opinion. Since releasing
their debut in 2002, they have released seven full length albums, an EP, covers
album and 2 live albums in the past thirteen years. “Coma Ecliptic” their latest, has eleven
intense, technical and brilliant songs.
When I started listening to “Coma
Ecliptic”, I thought lead vocalist Tommy Rogers was just going for a
melodic approach vocally. I listened through the melodic sounds of "Node"
and then about two minutes into "The Coma Machine," I was
reminded why I love the Between the Buried and
Me, Tommy Rogers owns when he mixes up his vocal delivery,
interspersing between a clean and growled tone.
Indeed the aggression is
short lived upon his return to clean singing again; he’s ably backed up by Paul
Waggoner and rhythm guitarist Dustie Waring in the breakdown of the track.
"The Coma Machine" doesn't stop or break off. It goes straight
into “Dim Ignition” as if it's the
tail end of one song adjoining the other.
What is noticeable from the outset, is that there is lot more keyboards
incorporated into this record too
"Famine Wolf" starts out with Paul Waggoner
leading the way with a killer solo that goes on to make Tommy's vocals
soar. Upon the introduction of Dustie
joining on rhythm, Tommy Rogers is brutal on vocals with clean
singing switch ups, with his signature melody blending well with heavy guitars
and furious drums that are neatly brutalising, set on time and technical in
their delivery, as is the whole band it must be said. Setting a beat on the
keyboards, Tommy attempts a different technique that I have not heard him do
before. It almost reminds me of Mike Patton and as heavy as Between the Buried and Me
are, they can bring in melodic brilliance beneath heavy riffs.
Just like their covers album
“The Anatomy Of”, this record is definitely softer and exhibits their delicacy
as well as their amazing ability, which in the case of the latter provided a
unique showcase of their talents and an exceptional take on the covers they
chose for the record. Despite exhibiting more restraint at times, this is not a
weakness and they soon return to their provocative and aggressive best, with "King
Redeem - Queen Serene" which
is arguably the heaviest song on the album. "Turn on the
Darkness" is eerie in its approach with acoustic guitars backing up
Tommy's sinister but soft vocals, until the riffs hit hard. Paul really shines
in this song with his solo abilities and talent.
"The Ectopic
Stroll" starts out with almost childlike keyboards as an introduction
to the song and as the track unfolds, there emerges an ominous tone, but always
consistently progressive. It becomes bluesy
with classic piano and guitar over a still atmosphere, with rhythm guitars interjecting,
as the song assumes a heavy tone throughout the ending. "Rapid
Calm" has a beautiful cessation midway through. I've never heard the
band work this hard on a song. It's as if they put all of themselves into this
song and left no reserves. "Memory Palace" is just shy of ten
minutes, but is delectably technical; the song takes you on a journey with them
as you hear all of the members brilliantly playing their instruments,
unrestrained with everything on the table, indeed for me only BTBAM can juxtapose melodic sentiment against
a backdrop of brutality. On the one hand
you have the fury of Blake Richardson on drums, flowing into a melodic haze,
that makes you want to sing along and know the lyrics.
All in all, this album is a
beautifully crafted and executed record, the tracks flowing into each other
seamlessly and it is so masterfully orchestrated, with "King
Redeem - Queen Serene" the overall stand out track.
“Coma Ecilptic” is out now
