Email the reviewerEpicurean, "A Consequence of Design"
Minneapolis' Epicurean have brought a breath of fresh air in the form of the band's debut record, A Consequence of Design. Technically, they released it a while back on their own while still toiling around the Midwest, but now Metal Blade has released the effort globally, and for that I'm definitely thankful.
Lead track "The Author And The Architecht" mixes keyboards, guitar shred, death metal vocals and clean, epic choruses all in under six minutes and does it in a way most modern bands can only hope to manage. Much of the same is the staple of Design's entirety. And while they might employ some of the typical metalcore armaments, this debut is anything but such. Coming off as a way more technical version - at least in the shred section - of a less rhythm-driven Fear Factory, or a less formulaic and predictable Bleeding Through, sans redundant breakdowns, A Consequence of Design is surprisingly refreshing, relying on shredding solos and undeniably catchy melodies over rhythmic prowess or stereotypical song structure and overly utilized breakdowns that litter so many of today's current bands. Heck, there isn't even a breakdown on the whole record if I recall.
The band's bio puts it best by describing its sound as as European influenced with progressive flair without being overburdening. Imagine a less progressive version of Mercenary or a more modern, European sound than Fear Factory and you might start grasping the concept that is A Consequence of Design. Frontman, and artist, John Laramy does an awesome job of moderating both clean and screamed vocals, while Jared Schneider's keys swirl about without overwhelming and John Major and Jared Mills match the shred of Nevermore with the technical thrashing tendencies of Mors Principium Est (a personal favorite).
"Dividing The Difference" showcases Major and Mills' fretboard finesse, but oddly enough features on of the record's least-effective choruses, while "Anathema: The Gatekeeper" features what could be an epic 80s guitar solo behind powerfully backing keys before launching into an all-out chunky rhythmic triplets section over Laramy's commanding vocals. All the while, "Darkest of Days" features one of the catchier, albeit incredibly brief, choruses overtop quickly picked arpeggiated chords leads into one of the record's best endings. And if "Lithograph" isn't the first pseudo-single, then it should be, what with its hooky chorus and unpredictable song structure.
There are two brief complaints for A Consequence of Design, though, albeit of the minor variety: The album comes off as a little long-winded and takes some time to get through - nine tracks with only one under the five-minute mark, and more than a few nearing or cracking the six minute length. On top of that, the mix seems a little flat, as everything seems to blend together a bit, most notably during choruses when layers upon layers of audio are working together to achieve the epic grandeur Epicurean was no doubt aiming for. But hey, that's usually what happens when label re-release an album after the band has already stuck it out on their own with it prior. Those are minor qualms and definitely don't detract from the overall (refreshing) feel of A Consequence of Design.
Standout Tracks Lithograph |
