Torrential Downpour's tag list on Bandcamp reads thusly: “experimental heavy-psych metal psychedelic space metal.” Alternatively, this site lists them as “technical post-thrash metal.” Who is right? Everyone and no one. This album will leave you staring angrily at your iTunes library for the better part of a day trying to figure out where to put it. With an eclectic mix of genres within a progressive format, Truth Knowledge Vision is an anthology of all that is right with metal.
Let me clarify that this is not challenging in a “what the fuck am I even listening to?” kind of way. Quite to the contrary, Torrential Downpour's third album had me hooked from the very first listen of “The Offering.” From the highly melodious underpinnings to the ever-changing musical landscape; Truth Knowledge Vision melds the accessibility and charm of Protest the Hero (minus the pop) with the extreme industrial violence of Tyrant of Death.
Clarifying the finer points of this album's sound is difficult. I would actually liken the vocals most to those of Mike Patton, particularly the shrieking staccato he did for Dillinger Escape Plan. However, there are plenty of almost Fugazi-ish clean passages as well. Guitar work runs the gamut from the cathartic instrumental post-rock of “EYNIH” to the phrenetic, mathcore-ish “Basilisk.” Mind you that those two tracks are right next to each other. You might think that such an album would be an awkward mess, yet this album still flows like silk that just happens to spontaneously combust on a whim.
Heavier moments (and there are many) are accompanied by insane drumming and highly processed bass lines that rival even Meshuggah with their mastery of time signatures. Sick of my name-dropping yet? Too bad. A little After the Burial without the metalcore simplicity. Mastodon on fast-forward without the alternative sensibilities. This is a collection of some of the most disparate songs to ever grace a cohesive concept.
In the end, this review is just a jumbled mess of words that doesn't even begin to describe Torrential Downpour's sound. The most important thing to know is that it is unlikely you will find yourself disappointed. If you like extreme progressive music with a penchant for variety, hop on over to their Bandcamp now and stream it in full. At only $5, you would be an idiot not to support this talented band's future endeavors.