Tesseract, or TesseracT if you prefer, are a respected Prog band who can lay claim in part to the foundation of the style known as “djent”. This album, their second full work, is split into four groupings: “Of Matter, Of Mind, Of Reality and Of Energy”. Let the energy flow.
Actually, I struggled to find energy in this album in spite of listening to it several times. Soft and dreamy tones set the initial pace. After gradual acceleration the twanging djent adds mystery. Such is the style that energy should now be surging through me, but it didn’t. Maybe it was early days. In true Prog style, the mood deflects to delicate rhythms and reflective, soft vocals. But it wasn’t making sense. The first track “Proxy” ended without having got anywhere. The softness runs into spiky, djenty, tension-ridden metal but not for long. It as if somebody or something has run out of steam. “Retrospect” is imploring and spineless. The faint vocals are at odds with the chunkier instrumentals but they’re not that chunky as to be a threat to anyone. Spooky cosmic sounds star off “Resist”. At last it is enticing. But more helpless appeals with underwhelming backing are the unsatisfactory response. As we head into “Of Mind”, “Nocturne” has the air of an edgy pop song. Things are being tried here but I was looking for personality and not finding it. Unlike the previous track, “Nocturne” does manage to blossom into a superlative and mind-enhancing section of atmospheric djent and sound effects.
But it always gets back to the same thing. Plaintive vocals continue amid a solid instrumental line. From time to time the instrumentals enter a league of their own. They can be mesmerising and colourful. It’s a shame about the vocals which drift on and take us into unmemorable oblivion. They lack sensitivity but most of all they lack sympathy. The vocals are too high-pitched for too much of the time. I lost track of any thematic progression. The instrumentals slow down and provide a platform. “Weighing on my mind” wails the vocalist. Doubt and uncertainty are captured for sure but I felt like I wanted to tell him to pull himself together and stop being so wimpy. The djent is toned down to match the mood but there is distance. Momentary respite comes on “Eclipse” as the dynamic movements reflect the uncertainty. The ringing rhythm is memorable and at last I felt a buzz. Even the vocals join in and step up a gear on “Palingenesis”. It’s all the same and edgy pace, but it stops. Now here’s originality: some jazz saxophone takes us everywhere on “Calabi-Yau”. As I was beginning to find hope but not meaning, “Of Energy” starts with a template Prog rhythm. Oh, Dream Theater. There’s a bit of Haken about this too. It sounds as if drama is building up. The drums lead the charge, but nothing happens. The vocals again fail to match the power. The instrumentals build up. I realised that there are four sections to this album but I completely missed the progression between them. In fact in a listening sense this was hard work. “Embers” starts with an acoustic section, but a few chords later I’m none the wiser as to where we’ve been or where we’re going. I thought this was the end but a sad jazz section finishes off the job. What did that have to do with it? It’s a mystery.
“Insipid” is the word I’d use to describe this. “Altered State” simply doesn’t get going. I just wanted to shake the vocalist who sounded to me like someone whinging for 51 minutes. The instrumentals are good but understated and isolated. There are brief moments are excellence, but in terms of where I was at any time or the progression of Matter, Mind, Reality or Energy, I couldn’t tell you. I felt nothing.
(3/10 Andrew Doherty)
20/05/2013 at 2:21 pm
Replacing Dan was always going to be a tough ask, and that’s discounting the fact that Ashe joined after the songs had already been written. It does sound from your review like they have decided to forgo any screamed vocal parts but I still hope you’re wrong about the lack of natural progression and energy…