Berklee College of Music in Boston. The largest college of contemporary music in the world. A seat of learning that spat forth Quincy Jones, Bruce Hornsby, John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and Steve Vai.
It is also the institution that created Native Contruct. In 2011 Guitarist and Composer Myles approached fellow students Robert Edens and Max Harchik and began to blend classical and musical thatre into prog metal. Cut to 2104 and Metal Blade’s Brain Slagel decides to get involved and green light “Quiet World” and unleash it on the world.
With the world currently embracing all things Prog the timing for this trio is pretty damn good.
I have played the radio singles “Mute” and “The Spark of the Archon” on the reviews segment of my TotalRock radio show and they have met with approval from musos and public alike. People can’t seem to put their finger on what they like about it but like it they do. Native Construct seem to cut and paste styles and tempos into each composition whilst smoothing over the joins so it works. This is no DJ Yoda, head jerk staccato sound collage.
The aforementioned tracks kick off the album with Mute introducing the listener to the impressive pipes of Robert Edens. He can hit the highs and has the soaring power that fans of Dream Theatre and Watchtower demand. As someone who isn’t a fan of Prog (I know – what the hell are you doing reviewing this then) I can say that I appreciate the warmth of his voice and the fact that he clearly is treated as an instrument by Yang when he composes for the band. When Mute changes tack to something reminiscent to a Vaudeville number it is apparent that Yang and co like to pitch change up as well as curve ball (one for the baseball fans). It took me a little while to get my ears and mind around the Smorgasbord of auditory delights offered up by Native Construct. I am more attuned to getting into a groove, experiencing a change of pace via a breakdown/mosh bit or epic chorus and getting back to the groove. I have actively avoided modern jazz and prog due their non-linear song construction. Soooooooooooooo this was always gonna be a new experience for me. Luckily it is one that I enjoyed.
The Spark of the Archon pirouettes in, dressed in a gold lame’ catsuit next and reminds me in parts of Mr Bungle and Devin Townsend in equal parts but with extra blast beats whilst Thomas Dolby tinkles on the plastic ivories in the background. This is infectiously positive music, I couldn’t help being swept along with the melody and harmonies contained within.
The Passage opens with a music box offering up a darker air reminiscent of early Alice Cooper and there is certainly a large dollop of greasepaint over this track – as there is over all of Quiet World. This is musical theatre – I can imagine that Yang, Edens and Harchik would love to follow in Hevy Devy’s footsteps and take their opus to an auspicious concert hall like the one named after old Bertie.
It is now that I realise my issue with the album – note I say my issue not that of the band. As discussed before I am more comfortable with more traditional arrangements. When I have tasted the delights of Native Construct in the past it has been as 8 minute snacks as part of a radio programme. The stylings and aural flavours stood out amongst my usual fare and I found them delicious and exotic. Now faced with a table straining under the weight of several proggy courses I find myself wishing for something more visceral and to give the old frontal lobe a rest. I need to nerd up and realise that it ain’t gonna happen here.
Your Familiar Face is a bit like a Fall Out Boy show tune. Emo lyrics (but not too depressing) with jolly harmonies delivered with some bite. It sounds great…..but I can’t see myself returning to this one again. A guitar refrain from the end of this track gets picked up by the scruff of its neck, beefed up a bit and dropped into Come Hell or High Water that follows. Edens adds a touch of power metal pomp into his delivery – I am thinking Sonata Arctica rather than Manowar and this is interspersed with staccato riffs and death metal sections and is a lot more metal horns than Jazz hands.
Quiet World is an album in three parts and the final section – Chromatic Lights and Chromatic Aberration opens with a folky refrain that goes nowhere, and frankly soon gets on me ‘ampton. It segues into the Porcupine Tree stylings of ……Aberration. Closing Quiet World with this 12 and a half minute opus , Yang is showcasing his composing talents and the trios musicianship in a huge hotchpotch, or , as NC are based in Boston , a chowder of all that has preceded it. Funky riffs, orchestra hits, drum solos, spiralling bass parts fade into haunting melodies and build, reaching and soaring until Edens seems to reach some tantric state at the 9 minute mark. I wish I had a lyric sheet as I am so busy listening to what the music is doing I am not paying attention to what the poor blokes is singing about. As soon as I am up with him reaching Nirvana we are both dropped into a Djent /death segment and the mood is broken. Gutted. The song , and album ends with a crushing dark passage of music followed by an eerie echoing void. What a downer!
Quiet World is to be enjoyed , in my opinion, more as a classical piece or even opera rather than a metal album. As such I enjoyed it rather than endured it. Yangs and co are uniquely talented but really want to show you that they are. For many people that will be a breath of fresh air. For me? Well I am hoping the Ambassador has got some Rocher at the soiree afterwards.
(7/10 Matt Mason)
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