Wednesday 15 February 2017

Terraformer - Mineral LP


Tracklist:-

1. Aegan
2. Adamantine
3. Amethyst
4. Penelope
5. Epoch
6. The Ether Shell

Three-piece instrumental Belgian's band Terraformer is due to release their (third?) full-length "Mineral" tomorrow via Dunk! Records and Time As A Color. They formed in 2009 and have so far released two full-lengths and two EPs (one being a collaboration with Kokomo). They play progressive, instrumental math-rock and they like Jupiler. What could be better! Seriously though, I want to do nothing more this evening than listen to this record and stare at that cover art.

This is a lot heavier than I was expecting. "Mineral" opener Aegan is filled with big post-metal riffs and angular, off-kilter rhythms. Progressive but not in a head-scratching way, it’s also quite bleak and dark in places. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering they share their homeland with Amenra. There’s a natural flow between Aegan and Adamantine, which means no pauses! Adamantine is a mixture of atonal riffs and glorious treble lead work. The percussion and bass just sit within the vast layers of sound, but are both still noticeable and add heft. It’s really easy to lose yourself if this whole release, which is an aim that a lot of other bands don’t fully achieve. Terraformer is able to create something that’s really hard to aptly describe in writing with Amethyst. It’s shorter length gives it more urgency yet it’s this constraint that really brings out their song-writing skill as a band. It’s jaw-dropping.  They flirt with menacing ambience at the beginning of Penelope, which is the sign of heavier things to come. Sure enough Terraformer delivers on that front with an incredibly bass-heavy tapestry of grind/crust/punk-like textures alongside their more familiar post-rock. Epoch is the release that you need after bottling up your emotions for too long. It’s incredibly up-lifting. That high that you feel after Epoch stays with you through The Ether Shell, even though it’s on the heavier side. It’s mid-section is more pop-like and the melodies are pretty hummable, flowing to a natural end via a wall of sound that fades in a sensitive way. I really feel like I should have written more about this record; however, I know that sometimes less is more. This is a pretty special release and coming so early in 2017 only hints at the incredible year it’s going to be. 

You can stream the full record via Arctic Drones here - http://arcticdrones.com/exclusives/stream-terraformer-mineral/

Pre-orders are still available via Dunk! Records and Time As A Color below:-


Dunk! Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Dunkrecords
Time As A Color Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/timeasacolor
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