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Subterranean Masquerade - Suspended Animation Dreams
Release: 2005Label: The End Records
By: Johell
Posted: Jul 2, 2005
Subterranean Masquerade is back after 2004's "Temporary Psychotic State" debut EP.
The new Album, "Suspended Animation Dreams" featuring Paul Kuhr (vocals), Tomer Pink (guitar, dulcimer, harmonica), Jake Depottle (guitar, bass guitar), Willis Claw (guitar), Ben Warren (keyboards), Steve Lyman (drums), Andrew Kuhnhausen (flute, clarinet, saxophone), Mitch Curinga (Electronics and sound manipulation), Dave Chisholm (trumpet), Joe Chisholm (trombone), but also Kobi Farhi from Orphaned Land and many other guests turns out to be one hell of an ambitious record.
On this record there are no boundaries, no rules at all, all labels are blown away. I would say progressive metal mixed with progressive jazz and arty avant-garde music could fit this album the best. Many metal moments have a scent of Opeth, but when they decide to take another musical path, which happens a lot during this album, it turns out to be something really, really unique and special. Very well done, that's for sure.
The album opens with 'Suspended Animation Dreams', a clean guitar starts the show and then suddenly comes a trumpet and a nice clean vocal, a choir and some flute and percussions for a strange but nice short opening track. Followed by 'Wolf Among Sheep (Or Maybe The Other Way Around?)', this one starts with a beautiful guitar melody and some spoken words and then comes a fluid electric guitar, the voice switches to a growl and the music gets more animated and then slows down again.
I shouldn't describe this record song by song because it is filled to the bone with musical changes and when one part is over you wonder what will come next and so on during the entire album. This would lead to me writing a whole book, but as I already have started it, let me try to finish it.
'No Place Like Home' is a very nice kind of a progressive rock meets pop-metal tune with guest Kobi Farhi and Yishai Sweartz on vocals at the end of the track, which directly gives an Orphaned Land/Oriental feeling to it. Beautiful song. On the instrumental "Kind Of A Blur" it begins with a piano, followed by violins, and trombones most likely. Again we have this strange choir, it sounds good even though, there is something strange about the atmosphere delivered during that one. 'The Rock n' Roll Preacher' is in my opinion ruined by too much saxophone and trumpet, which makes it kinda hard to listen.
The second really good track on this album is 'Six Strings To Cover Fear' which combines black/death growls to at times menacing but also sober and calm strings, it creates a nice contrast.
'Awake' is a killer track, it's mysterious and very atmospheric, female vocalist Wendy Jernian has a really nice voice. The growls of Paul are damn well executed, the guitars and drumming are powerful and the piano and strings are awesome. The album closes beautifully with 'X'.
Subterranean Masquerade delivers so much more on the new album than on the promising "Temporary Psychotic State" it is in a way scary to see how good the whole band has become. Where will they take us next time? I really won't bet on it, but hope for another luminous and dark record with maybe a little less brass incorporated, that will for sure make it more digestible.
The artwork surrounding the album is splendid, Travis Smith has done again something brilliant and the band portraits done by sarah Pendleton are impressive as well.
The new Album, "Suspended Animation Dreams" featuring Paul Kuhr (vocals), Tomer Pink (guitar, dulcimer, harmonica), Jake Depottle (guitar, bass guitar), Willis Claw (guitar), Ben Warren (keyboards), Steve Lyman (drums), Andrew Kuhnhausen (flute, clarinet, saxophone), Mitch Curinga (Electronics and sound manipulation), Dave Chisholm (trumpet), Joe Chisholm (trombone), but also Kobi Farhi from Orphaned Land and many other guests turns out to be one hell of an ambitious record.
On this record there are no boundaries, no rules at all, all labels are blown away. I would say progressive metal mixed with progressive jazz and arty avant-garde music could fit this album the best. Many metal moments have a scent of Opeth, but when they decide to take another musical path, which happens a lot during this album, it turns out to be something really, really unique and special. Very well done, that's for sure.
The album opens with 'Suspended Animation Dreams', a clean guitar starts the show and then suddenly comes a trumpet and a nice clean vocal, a choir and some flute and percussions for a strange but nice short opening track. Followed by 'Wolf Among Sheep (Or Maybe The Other Way Around?)', this one starts with a beautiful guitar melody and some spoken words and then comes a fluid electric guitar, the voice switches to a growl and the music gets more animated and then slows down again.
I shouldn't describe this record song by song because it is filled to the bone with musical changes and when one part is over you wonder what will come next and so on during the entire album. This would lead to me writing a whole book, but as I already have started it, let me try to finish it.
'No Place Like Home' is a very nice kind of a progressive rock meets pop-metal tune with guest Kobi Farhi and Yishai Sweartz on vocals at the end of the track, which directly gives an Orphaned Land/Oriental feeling to it. Beautiful song. On the instrumental "Kind Of A Blur" it begins with a piano, followed by violins, and trombones most likely. Again we have this strange choir, it sounds good even though, there is something strange about the atmosphere delivered during that one. 'The Rock n' Roll Preacher' is in my opinion ruined by too much saxophone and trumpet, which makes it kinda hard to listen.
The second really good track on this album is 'Six Strings To Cover Fear' which combines black/death growls to at times menacing but also sober and calm strings, it creates a nice contrast.
'Awake' is a killer track, it's mysterious and very atmospheric, female vocalist Wendy Jernian has a really nice voice. The growls of Paul are damn well executed, the guitars and drumming are powerful and the piano and strings are awesome. The album closes beautifully with 'X'.
Subterranean Masquerade delivers so much more on the new album than on the promising "Temporary Psychotic State" it is in a way scary to see how good the whole band has become. Where will they take us next time? I really won't bet on it, but hope for another luminous and dark record with maybe a little less brass incorporated, that will for sure make it more digestible.
The artwork surrounding the album is splendid, Travis Smith has done again something brilliant and the band portraits done by sarah Pendleton are impressive as well.
Rating: 7/10
Subterranean Masquerade website
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