TesseracT

One

Written by: AP on 18/08/2011 23:28:01

TesseracT are widely regarded as one of the two pioneers of djent together with their stateside peers in Periphery. We know this to be a fallacy of course, since the sound was not only invented, but epitomized by Meshuggah in the 90's, but for the sake of argument, let us presume that TesseracT was responsible for the generation of a genre based on the sound at the very least. As such, their status in the extremely tight knit community is near enigmatic, even more so due to the band's frequent mutations, contractions and expansions resulting in a five year delay for the release of their debut album, "One". Had it been released on schedule, one might ask, would djent then have been a more widespread concoction today? Such speculation is not the focus of this piece, however. Rather, it is my intention to subject the album to thorough dissection and analysis in the following few paragraphs.

Given the limited nature of the djent sound, one might of course be inclinced to presume that "One" is hardly breaking any boundaries, let alone touting a sound much different from that of Periphery's self-titled effort. But in doing so, one would grossly be underestimating the capabilities of this young British troop, who, with "One", have managed to piece together one of the most immaculate albums of the year. Forget any preconceptions you might have about djent: from the lingering samples of opening track "Lament" to the ambient outro of "Eden", TesseracT systematically deconstruct the supposed limitations of the genre and unleash one song after another of beautiful, hypnotic progressive metal based on the djent sound.

Part raging tempest, part whispering breeze, songs like "Nascent" and "Concealing Fate Part One: Acceptance" offer jaw dropping riffs and instrumentation based on errant time signatures, dense grooves and haunting ambience, recalling influences as diverse as Meshuggah, Textures and Tool. Acle Kahney's and James Monteith's seven string guitars rip through riffs like scissors through fabric, tearing frantically at the aural cloth before subsiding into achingly beautiful acoustic passages that flutter like silk in the echoing space, interspersing the turbulent maelstrom with much needed moments of quiet and calm; Jay Postpones and Amos Williams handle the low end, ploughing their way through the enchanting rhythmical nightmare with dazzling ease; and Daniel Tompkins lays down an enticing mixture of mid range screams and soaring clean singing that climbs to a stellar climax on concluding piece "Eden".

"One" is progressive in both substance and rhythm, but never does the intense layering and polyrhythmic barrage become pompous or overly existential. Rather, as songs like "Concealing Fate Part Two: Deception" and "Concealing Fate Part Three: The Impossible" demonstrate, TesseracT have used the five years at their disposal to full utility, studying and scrutinizing their song structures down to the most minute detail, resulting in enormous, mesmerizing, progressive masterpieces that demand the undivided attention of the listener in order to fully comprehend the extent of the soundscape. "One" is essentially the pinnacle of the djent genre, a demonstration of the endless possibilities that branch out from the simple sound. It is a constant reminder that djent need not be limited to groove and syncopation; that given the right musicians, it is possible to create from it a truly stunning soundscape awash with an air of mystique.

9

Download: Lament, Nascent, Acceptance, Deception, The Impossible, Eden
For the fans of: Circles, Monuments, Textures
Listen: Facebook

Release date 22.03.2011
Century Media

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