Amber Sea

Infantile Vision EP

Written by: MN on 19/04/2015 22:56:37

French progressive metal youngsters Amber Sea are quite anonymous on the international scene, but this Lille-based quartet sound weathered enough to be established after the release of a killer EP by the name of "Infantile Vision". While retaining some of the fun recklessness of a band that puts every card on the table from the get-go, Amber Sea still streamline their material consistently throughout with high climaxes and soft releases. Soundwise, they are influenced by the deathcore movement in the rage and scream output, but modern metalcore elements also reminisce of Australian Northlane, albeit with a much more technical approach where odd-and constantly changing time signatures characterize the tempo and the instrumental dynamics are fueled by riddling solos and crunch-riffage. Although the technical progressive aspects take centre stage, Amber Sea also throw in a couple of memorable clean singing passages just to have more melody etched in your memory.

Opening track "White Materia: Sideral" opens ever so gently with a piano tune but eventually some blast beats changes the experience from soft harmony to dazzling cacophony. At the halfway mark, one starts to think this may just be another new age prog-metal band with a similar agenda, but the switch towards the end keeps ones ears perked. "Deci (Mate)" is the band's first single which provides a bit more of an industrial sound to it, where ultra short mute-riffage feature, sounding almost mechanical. Luckily other additional elements, especially the demonic vocals of Matt Rouland, makes the song one of the prime highlights of the EP. It also includes some featuring work by Chris Barretto from Monuments.

"Violette" has some more old-school flavour in the guitar work, with occasional dabbles into the groove metal world, where the riffs have you bobbing your head to the infectious tones. The drums find themselves coming across really strong on this track. "Shinigami" (Japanese for Death God) is a bit of an ambiguous lyrical subject, whether it refers to Japanese folklore directly or to the Shinigami featured in the popular anime "Death Note" is hard to decipher. So on a lyrical front, I will have to demerit some points, but luckily prog-metal like this really depends more on the delivery than content. Additionally, most minds are occupied by the technical prowess of the instrumental section to understand the narrative. That being said, the expression is powerful and sincere, also in the vocal lines, and "Shinigami" also contains an awesome resolution-part, but lyrically, this is no Shakespeare.

I think we should keep our eyes open for more mind-numbing metal from Amber Sea. They are young and refreshing in sound. Despite abiding by some of the contemporary metal trends, Amber Sea still maintain a certain spontaneity that keeps the listeners attention. Twists and turns and shred solos are plentiful, so fans of Between The Buried And Me, Clutter, Meshuggah and even Protest The Hero should find some joy in their production.

7

Download: Shinigami, Black Materia: Meteor, Violette
For The Fans Of: Animals As Leaders, After The Burial, Born Of Osiris
Listen: facebook.com

Release date 10.02.2015
Self-released

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