Heavy, violent, technical … so begins this four track EP from French metallers Buy Jupiter. It may be trying to kill me with overpowering force, but it’s dynamic and I’m loving it. Djenty heavy tech death give way to a subtle break, and the band display their colourful wares. The riff line is fast and the screams pierce the sky. The drummer drives us forward. Time for a little breather, and a delicate instrumental section. The build up is dark and expansive. So we have “Arrival”, and what a feast of tech prog metal it is. Buy Jupiter cite their influences as Meshuggah, Textures, After the Burial, Veil of Maya, Between the Buried and Me, Opeth. I was also reminded of another very good French modern metal band Ananta, whose live vocalist joined Uneven Structure. Such information is helpful to know, I guess, but this band stands on its own pedestal.
Another piece of information I gleaned that “Eclipse” is the third part of an EP trilogy about a group of Jovian workers exiled in space. I can’t say that I really got that from “Arrival”, impressive and powerful as it was. “The Merging” now has an electro cosmic beginning. The guitar line is jazzy. This is just the prelude to another bone-shaking assault, but it’s neatly mixed with an acoustic section and distant growls. The sense of space and isolation is here in this atmospheric track. The drum line is luscious. The track takes off, and we’re treated to an exuberant riot of heavy technical progressive metal. “Obscured” drives it further forward. Rumbling, sinister guitar strains provide the underscore to the fast and hard-hitting drum line. Mid-stream, there’s a brief acoustic section before the continuation of the forceful and majestic assault. The end seemed to be creating an atmosphere prior to leading up to something, but it never happened and we’re just left with a short, mysterious outro to reflect on this full-on experience.
This quite extreme assault has interesting patterns and great intensity. On the strength of “Eclipse”, I’d be very interested in hearing more from Buy Jupiter.
(8.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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