The Pitch: French group Derealized toss themselves into a competetive year when it comes to progressive death metal. Can they hack it?
What I Like: As with any even moderately good release in this genre, the riffs are solid. There are some really great hooks and transitions that keep compositions flowing freely. One thing that this album has that many other progressive releases this year have lacked is a certain grittiness. The blackened edge of the music is sandpaper applied to the eardrums. This helps the more beautiful elements like the melodic closing of the title track and occasional piano additions really stand out amidst the harshness.
What I Don't Like: There is something missing here in terms of connection with the audience. At least that's the case with me. With many of the other prog death releases I have heard this year, I felt pulled into the music as if it was happening all around me and stirring things within me as well. With Isolation Poetry, I don't find myself feeling that way consistently (though there are certainly some powerful moments). I think some of it comes from the vocal delivery, or at least the production around it. There's nothing inherently wrong with these growls; I just think there could be more variation, or perhaps just some changes in the mix to make that jump from a good performance to a truly engaging one.
The Verdict: Isolation Poetry is a wonderfully technical album by a band that is plenty adept at songwriting. However, something lacking in the production stage or with subtle needs in the vocal delivery left me feeling a bit cold at times. Plenty to work with here, but when held up against...say...Hannes Grossman or Aenaon, they have a little work to put in to go head-to-head. I hope that they're up to the challenge. Buy it HERE.
Flight's Fav's: "The Opium Den," "A Late Letter," "Hollow"