The U.S. technical schizoid metal trio is back with another surprise, called "Cortical Tectonics", after the highly acclaimed "Penumbra Diffuse". For those who are not aware of the band's sound let them imagine a combination of Spastic Ink, Cynic and Spiral Architect. Those with stronger imagination may blend this description with Mekong Delta, Watchtower and Dillinger Escape Plan, remove any kind of vocal performance and here it is. Is this to assume that they are not original? Not quite true, but in a sense yes. It's very difficult to find stigmata of originality in every single release of bands, like Canvas Solaris, because the weight of their technicality falls heavy on the creational aspect of their music. Is this wrong? No, on the contrary, it helps the listener to frame the music and to understand its size and nature. This applies specifically to the listeners that are not musicians, though I think that some musicians will be also troubled by their mazy arrangements and intricate orchestrations (and jealous of their skills I suspect). This is quite evident in songs like the opening "Berserker Hypothesis" or "Gama Knife", where the band demonstrates an impressive amount of technical skills in frenzy manner.

However the band is not as one-sided as I've made it look so far. The Sapp/Simpkins/Ginn trio has made some enhancements that orient towards the enrichment of their sound. The use of (guitar) synths and electronics, as well as the employment of tribal instruments, has added depth in their music. This makes the final outcome more fordable and "warm". Does it matter? Yes of course. Unless you are musician or some weird guy that tries to trace patterns of hiccups in music, it does matter, because turns songs like the seventeen minutes "Reticular Consciousness" approachable instead of some kind of "mind purgatory". Take also for example the Gordian Knot-ish "Interface", which exhibits a fine fusion of melody, atmosphere and technicality.

But the album is not faultless. Eventually -and despite all improvements- the music in "Cortical Tectonics" tires after a certain point, as well as it becomes very complex and hard-to-follow. I am not so sure if the band can avoid this someday, but at the current moment it seems strongly bound with the very nature of the project.

"Cortical Tectonics" is packed in a well produced and plain-artwork wrapped CD that leaves you with a feeling of completeness. In conclusion "Cortical Tectonics" is a massive step ahead for Canvas Solaris and despite all shortcomings it's very attractive to the fans of extreme progressive metal.