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This is a very strong new coming from the Dutch four piece band Exivious. Before discussing the various achievement and the idiosyncrasy of the band, let me say that this debut is so strong that the band in truly confident manner decided to self-release it in two very interesting packages. The first is a simple, yet elegant, digipack version, while the second one is a deluge digipack bundle edition with every one of the 1000 items bearing its own artwork! And that's amazing my friends.
Now if you want to stay amazed, pay attention. Exivious is a band consisted by members of Cynic and Textures. Impressive? Simply put, yes. the mastermind seems to be Tymon Kruidenier, who featured in the majestic return of progressive metal gods Cynic, but all members of the band have something illustrious to exhibit, like the participation of Stef Broks in Textures, Michel Nienhuis in Sengaia, and the replacement of Sean Malone in Cynic by Robin Zielhorst. Tightening all these together you can imagine what this band performs. According to them, their style is "fusionmetal" and there is a strong share of truth in this label. Exivious mix together progressive metal, fusion and jazz, resulting to something that has elements from Cynic, Textures, Gordian Knot, Spastic Ink and Canvas Solaris. Throughout the album there is a strong feeling of intensity and furious rhythms and complex orchestrations paint a scenery of lunacy. You will not miss however the vast soundscapes of Gordian Knot, like the ones you can find in "All that Surrounds, part 2", but in its majority this project is "furious" as put by Kruidenier. Sometimes you feel caged in mazy corridors of unexpected turns, losing any sense of orientation, but very quick this becomes addictive, like the late Cynic masterpiece. As the minutes passes, you realize how important was Kruidenier in the sound of "Traced in Air". I am not a blasphemous, but this album shows how this talented Dutch fitted with the rest of Cynic. Check for instance "Waves of Thought" or "Embrace the Unknown", which features Paul Masvidal in a guest solo. To discuss of performance issues is aimless; there are so many testimonials that would be needless to add anything else. Yet, I feel that any vocals addition (death, male, female, no matter), would give a breath of air in the sound. The progressive/fusion metal fans, who are acquainted with this school, will rejoice. It has all elements one asks for. It has it bold and it has it in major portions. What else can you ask? |
