We’re promised much on this, the second album release by US “progmetal alchemists” The Contortionist. I confess to being sceptical of their claim to “shatter the boundaries of conventional music”. It’s always best to listen to these things, so that’s what I did.

From the beginning motion is on the agenda. The Contortionist get off to a flying start with “Holomovement”. The soft sophistication is that of Porcupine Tree. Subtle melodic fragrances come from all angles but it’s punctuated by darkness and thunder too. I was so into the progressive metal solidity and lovely mood that I was shattered at it ending after 3 ½ minutes … but it was just a break and it continued to re-work those fine rhythms as I wanted them to. What’s interesting or frustrating, depending on your point of view, is that this album never stands still. At one minute it’s like listening to Dream Theater, then death/hardcore erupts, there’s a lot of “djent” and it’s back to Dream Theater. I’ve just described the 4 minute long “Causality”. What holds it together at this point is dreamy technicality. I get the acknowledged similarity with Cynic here in respect of its changing mood, mixture of moods and experimental progressiveness. When it goes big and emotive, it goes big, especially in the earlier stages, but it’s increasingly momentary as we’re quickly back to death, jazz or wherever The Contortionist decide to take us stylistically.

I was starting to wait for the bits that I liked – problem. Harsh, technical death metal was taking over as the predominant style. The rampant “Geocentric Confusion” is light years from the earlier solid but fondant-filled “Holomovement”. That at least is the first half, as then the gear changes again and a delicate vocal section takes us into a technical progressive movement. Part of this is used to start “Dreaming Schematics” which follows, but it’s technical djent this time. It’s like musical bullying as the band seem to take great delight in changing everything to defy our hopes and expectations. Our or rather my problem maybe, but it’s a shame as there’s something potentially magnificent in this prog metal turmoil but whether it’s heavy or mellow, The Contortionist don’t allow themselves enough time for grand passages. In fact the technicality started to take over and the vocals on later tracks such as “Anatomy Anomalies” are not only overshadowed but are washed away to the point where they are ineffective. The shadowy end is miles away from the clinical instrumental work. I found it disjointed. Stop – start – change – djent – technical metal – metalcore – a bit of progressive ambiance: such is “Cortical”. Where are they going with all this? Heaviness and sunset-laden smoochiness sit together. It can work but it’s not always comfortable. I felt the album was going round in circles for no purpose. Some parts are heavy enough to be crushing but it doesn’t go on for long. Finally “Parallel Trance” has a space-driven ambiance as if “2001: A Space Odyssey” had a feature slot. Didn’t they blow all that away with all that djent and mathematical deathcore? I don’t know where I stand with this.

My suspicion is that “Intrinsic” will blow away those of a technically-minded prog orientation whereas others, myself included, will be less impressed. The intention is good but I question the cohesion. Although I let myself go without worrying too much about genres, and I certainly found “Intrinsic” technically very good and captivating in parts, it’s hard to know what they were aiming at other than being different. That isn’t so much of an artistic achievement in my book.

(6 / 10 Andrew Doherty)

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