When it comes to progressive metal, few bands have had as interesting of an evolution as Intronaut. Fifteen years ago they fell closer to the post metal end and sludge end of the spectrum, seeming as though they might be on a similar trajectory to groups like Isis and Rosetta. But since then they’ve really moved towards the progressive side of the spectrum, channeling just as much jazz in their rhythms and tempo changes as metal and leaving some of the harsher vocals behind in favor of soaring clean ranges. Each album has pushed into different territory while still offering grooves and a feeling of adventure to the material, and that hold true on their latest effort Fluid Existential Inversions. It’s been awhile since we last heard from the group as nearly five years have passed since The Direction of Last Things, but the time between releases has served them well and the songwriting here proves to be just as engaging as anything the band has written previously.
One of the biggest changes on Fluid Existential Inversions is who is behind the drum kit, as Intronaut parted ways with long-time drummer Danny Walker two years ago. On this album is Alex Rüdinger, who’s done work with Revocation and Whitechapel, and while it’s unclear if he’ll be a permanent addition since they’re currently touring with Cynic drummer Matt Lynch, there’s certainly not a lack of talent when it comes to who the band has backing them. The drums play a significant role throughout each of the songs, as along with the bass lines they’re one of the instruments that stands out in the mix and grabs your attention. Rüdinger’s fills vary significantly and his cymbal work often has quite a bit of groove to it, that when combined with the driving bass lines proves to be downright infectious. Intronaut is once again focused on bridging the gap between their melodic and aggressive sides, with the writing often starting off with heavier riffing and faster tempos that eventually transition towards airier melodies and a calmer atmosphere. But as long-time fans are likely to be aware of, the way that the band moves between these two sides is never predictable and Fluid Existential Inversions continues to have plenty of unexpected tempo changes and hints of jazz-like improvisation that keep you on your toes. There’s complexity to unravel over repeat listens but also plenty to hook on that initial listen, and that results in an album that feels dynamic and has plenty to keep you coming back whether you want to dissect the nuances of the writing or just vibe along to the grooves.
As mentioned earlier, Intronaut’s approach to vocals has changed significantly over the course of their discography. Where Sacha Dunable utilized a lot of growls and harsher pitches early on, recent years saw him trading off singing with Dave Timnick. On this album it feels like the group has bridged the gap between old and new, and this is evident early on as “Cubensis” utilizes gruffer clean ranges and screams alongside some much softer singing that hovers over the instrumentation. The little extra dose of aggression works to the band’s advantage this time around and keeps the vocals feeling as fluid as the instrumentals, with there being plenty of additional nuances for listeners to discover as they spend more time with the album. What I like the most is when the two harmonize and trade off verses, as there are a lot of passages that stand out because of it, and it continues to differentiate the band from some of the others in the progressive metal space.
In some ways this album doesn’t feel like a complete reinvention for Intronaut, as there are elements that feel like a refinement of the ideas that were explored on The Direction of Last Things. But that doesn’t detract from what they’ve achieved here, as the instrumentation continues to have equal amounts of soaring hooks and grooves alongside interesting fills and rhythms that reveal themselves upon subsequent listens. If you were worried that they’d been gone for awhile all of that concern should fade away after the first time through with this one, and these guys remain as interesting to listen to as ever. Fluid Existential Inversions is available from Metal Blade Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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