On my co-hosted radio show Dark Tryal (live every Sunday from 21:00 on TotalRock, shameless self-promotion) it has become a running joke that I only listen to Prog Death Metal. I’m not really sure where this idea has stemmed from as I play a wide range of Death Metal and other genres. However, I have to confess that I am a fiend for the stuff, to be honest that’s probably where it comes from, never mind. It’s a genre that has grown over the years with huge bands like early Opeth and Gojira heading up the scene. Bubbling in the underground however is some massive promising talent, Cosmic Putrefaction, Cryptic Shift and Exist are just a few that spring to mind, all with killer albums this year too!
Today however we look at Italian wizards Coexistence. This band formed back in 2015 and their 2018 EP Contact With The Entity was a bit of an underground hit. It was fairly clear that these guys were treading a new path and people were interested. So fast forward to 2020 and a signing to the incredible Transcending Obscurity Records, well done Coexistence, looks like you got your praise. With this signing comes the release of the band’s debut full length Collateral Dimension, this is surely a real chance for the band to show the world what they’re all about, but can they pull it off?
Opening track Metaphysical Essence progresses into some nice traditional Tech Death sort of instrumentation, mild Tech it must be said but none the less enjoyable. The bass tone is instantly striking with its crisp and clean sound. However, at its core this is certainly Prog Death, I would compare it to listening to your favourite 70s Prog yet with an unclean touch to it in the vocals and occasional more extreme sections. Symbiosis Of Creation amps up some of the Tech but still at the albums heart I can feel the Prog influence, sure it isn’t anything out of the ordinary but it’s really engaging and wholesome music. The album also has a really good flow to it, even moving into the fourth track Detach From The Abyss there is almost no gap, a seamless blend of beautiful Prog Death that is sure to please fans of Brutal Death and the more traditional alike. I particularly enjoy some of the lighter passages in the bands songs, these tend to be drawn out which is brilliant, too many Prog/ Tech Death bands don’t linger on these moments and it’s a real shame.
Bridging the gap in the album is Perception, a delicate instrumental that I don’t feel is the least bit out of place, merely an addition to this wondrous overall composition. The title track then gets straight back into the Death Metal vibes with some far more extreme delivery, but still it works really well. In fact one can’t lose sight of the fact that this is a Death Metal record at the end of the day. Next track to really interest me is The Nadir Element, I love the Tech heavy riffs with their evil tone, which is only amped up by the harsh vocals which at times appear slightly Blackened. The final track Floating In The Celestial Wave starts off with some striking Prog Death atmospherics, an ethereal journey of the senses that is totally enveloping. The song moves into more Death Metal territory but it’s still very Sci-fi rooted and mystical, a lovely end to the record, not something you can always say about Death Metal.
The oddest thing about Collateral Dimension is that it isn’t really all the different to a lot of other stuff that is out there at the moment. However, there is a real sense of passion emanating from the band as well as a strong work ethic. You can almost hear it in the music through the beautiful Prog laden passages. Coexistence strike me as a band that don’t have to prove their musical skill, rather they just want to make awesome music and sometimes in this scene that can be lacking. This is a stellar debut record and I really can’t wait to see how the rest of the world perceives the band.
(8/10 George Caley)
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