Between the buried and me-The parallax: hypersleep diaries

Metal Blade
2011

Surprises in music can be a wonderful thing if done correctly. With a band like Between the buried and me I kind of know what's coming on a new album, but only in a loose sense. I know they'll bring a huge platter piled high with elements of prog-rock, jazz, punk, folk, metal and other. I know that will bring everything at a brisk speed and have my head spinning the whole. However I don't know exactly specifically beyond that and that's where they keep me on my toes and keep amazing with each new twist and turn. Opener "Specular reflection" is a wonderful example of BTAM at their best. It's over 11 minutes of a full on assault on spiraling sound clashing and flowing as the band flies through, over and around far too many musical passages to count. A number of bands can mix different musical styles in songs, but not every one can mix the styles as seamlessly as this band. Also I have yet to hear a band who can switch the vocals so easily and no matter what have them completely in sync with the current musical landscape that is going on. "Augment of birth" follows with another spectacular display thunderous beats and rapid fire blasts of sound. This song is more intense, but the band still manages to infuse so many parts and tones into the mix and every piece fits perfectly. "Lunar Wilderness" spends the first few minutes living up to it's title as we are flown out on a cosmic journey being jarred by a wild and furious attack as BTAM go all out, but the cosmic bits find their way back into the sound here and there. This may be my favorite song just because it's such a perfect blend of pounding heaviness, technical madness and odd meanderings. Some fans bicker about the length of this band's songs on recent albums, but I think that's nonsense because short or long they give so much on every track. Totally brilliant release from one of the most interesting bands going today.