Between The Buried And Me – ‘Coma Ecliptic’ [Review]
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For prog-metal heavyweights Between The Buried And Me, less has never been more. They’ve built a solid career on expansive songs crammed with everything but the kitchen sink – and latest offering Coma Ecliptic sees BTBAM continue, appropriately enough, to progress.
The most immediate sign of forward movement on Coma Ecliptic is the crystal-clear Dream Theater influence that permeates the whole album from second track The Coma Machine onwards. From the clipped and spacious production job to periodically Petrucci-esque guitar work and nods in the direction of DT keyboard wizard Jordan Rudess, it’s clear that BTBAM have become that much more comfortable wearing their influences on their sleeves. That said, Coma Ecliptic is not the sound of a band running low on original creativity.
While Coma Ecliptic contains plenty of demonstrations of BTBAM’s deep love for Dream Theater (as well as classic prog acts like Pink Floyd, Yes, and King Crimson), the overall feeling is one of inner excavation rather than outer idea thieving. BTBAM have absorbed their influences to such a degree that obvious 70s vibes blend seamlessly with moments that stand out as pure and none-more-refined BTBAM classics. Opening track Node continues the post-Colors tradition of opening with airy bliss followed by H-bomb-impact heaviness – but as with all of BTBAM’s previous efforts, there are plenty of points that it’d be criminal not to highlight here.
Chief amongst Coma Ecliptic‘s standout moments are: The Coma Machine‘s combination of intense vocals, filth-ridden riffage, and punchy grooves; Dim Ignition‘s Kraftwerkian synths; Famine Wolf‘s tangential fusion section; King Redeem/Queen Serene‘s return to classic BTBAM stylings; Turn On The Darkness‘s epic-scale single track rollercoaster ride; The Ectopic Stroll‘s quirky keyboards and off kilter grooves; lead single Memory Palace‘s sublime Pink Floyd tribute sections; and the brilliant vocal harmonies that push final track Life In Velvet to another level entirely. Bear in mind, though, that those are but a handful of exceptional examples. Coma Ecliptic is the kind of album that rewards focussed listening and engagement, rather than encouraging disconnection and distraction – and you absolutely need to get stuck into it and see what sections stand out most for you.
TMMP RATING: 95% (Essential Listening!)
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