Got a Better Closer…but at What Cost?
The last couple weeks saw some stellar albums reviewed alongside some epic failures that closed out the shows. This week’s closer is not a pile of manure, but the other albums aren’t as stellar either. So is this balance better? Let us know what you think about this week’s albums!
Reviews:
Epica – The Holographic Principle (Nuclear Blast)
Auras – Heliospectrum (eOne)
Crator – The Ones Who Create : The Ones Who Destroy
First Impression:
Animals as Leaders – “The Brain Dance” taken from The Madness of Many out November 11th from Sumerian Records
Epica – The Holographic Principle
Auras – Heliospectrum
Crator – The Ones Who Create/The Ones Who Destroy
The Sideshow Podcast 
I’m not going to call you out for saying Epica was too long. When I said that I didn’t want to hear that Proponent for Sentience by Allegaeon was too long, I didn’t mean to imply that no album could be too long. MY thoughts about any album could be a band’s last album applied specific to Allegaeon. Not only are Allegaeon one of my favorite bands, but I followed them closely throughout the course of recording their latest album and knowing how it is a struggle to make ends meet makes me glad that I got 72 minutes of Allegaeon music. Even though I do like Epica, I don’t have as many personal feelings about the band, so I can totally see how listening to that much Epica music at once can be too long.
I know you didn’t ask for this and probably don’t want to hear it but were probably expecting it anyway: here’s my review of Sorceress by Opeth. Even though I’ve been listening to this album a lot lately, it’s time to admit that it is a bit disappointing. The album starts out sounding much like their last album, Pale Communion, which I loved. On Sorceress, I enjoy the actual songs on the album, but the quiet instrumental jamming and noodling prevalent on most of the second half of the album isn’t doing it for me. I realize that just last week I was defending the classical guitar on Allegaeon’s album, but that was a self-contained few minutes that added some nice contrast to the technical death metal of the rest of the album. Opeth has never had trouble with contrast, and the light music in the middle of Sorceress serves not as contrast but rather as something that doesn’t quite hold my interest. The lighter music on the album doesn’t seem to work as “songs”. The album Damnation worked for Opeth because it had well crafted songs that fit Opeth’s style even if they didn’t have harsh vocals or distorted guitars. But the lighter stuff on Sorceress just doesn’t seem to work as any type of traditional song structure. Sorceress is definitely not an album that you guys need to check out, even though I think the first half of it and the last song are some good music.
I’m actually quite glad you reviewed Opeth for me because it confirms that we didn’t need to review it. They are a fairly prominent band and I was struggling a little with deciding to skip a review even though I have never really cared for them and Brian and I have both only ever been moderate interested in the last couple albums that we did review.
Damnation was the only album from them that I enjoy in its entirely and go back to with any regularity.