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Night Verses - From The Gallery Of Sleep review




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Reviewer:
9.0

141 users:
8.28
Band: Night Verses
Album: From The Gallery Of Sleep
Release date: June 2018


01. Copper Wasp
02. Trading Shadows
03. Vice Wave
04. Vantablonde
05. Lira
06. No Moon
07. Glitch In The You I Thought I Knew
08. No.0
09. Balboa
10. Earthless
11. Harmonic Sleep Engine
12. Phoenix IV: Levitation
13. Infinity Beach

Most of the time, the loss of a vocalist in a band is followed by either a break-up or a replacement. But Night Verses ain't having none of that. From The Gallery Of Sleep proves that there is no need for a vocalist in the band.

If any of you remember 2016's Into The Vanishing Light, you probably remember Night Verses as that progressive metalcore band that had a knack for cool instrumentals but didn't really stray too far from what you'd expect from a progressive metalcore band. Now with vocalist Douglas Robinson no longer in the band, Night Verses had to do more than just make their usual music sans the vocals.

Whereas the material they did previously was great, and Douglas did a great job as a vocalist, it was quite unexpected to see the grounds that the band could reach now that the vocals were no longer the listener's guide. The other thing that the departure of the vocals brought, besides the obvious lack of vocals, is that the metalcore tinges are much more subdued and barely present; instead, Night Verses sound like a much more post-rock-influenced Animals As Leaders. There're bits of post-metal, electronica, and djent all over it, but not enough to effectively alter the progressive core, making the music feel less vicious and chaotic and more playful and mature. There's plenty of interplay between the more ambient sections, often filled with distorted spoken word samples, and the more noodly ones, thankfully both integrated in a way that doesn't feel generic or forced; instead each part feels like it fits exactly where it should.

All of the three members are obviously extremely proficient in their craft and none of them disappoints, but I'll be lying if I didn't admit I was most impressed by the drummer. I could talk a lot about the technical aspects of why exactly the music is complex or engaging, but it's much more focused on the feel, once again showing that there's no dichotomy between technical proficiency and feel, even though there's plenty of music with just one or none of the two. And everything about it feels right. It doesn't feel overly technical just for the hell of it, and even when it does, it feels playful rather than condescending. The production is pristine but doesn't feel sterile. Even though I could pinpoint what other instrumental bands it sounds like, it feels like it has its own personality.

From The Gallery Of Sleep is an instrumental progressive album that feels really soulful instead of just a showoff of abilities. Goes to show how removing one dimension of something can help something expand greatly into its remaining ones. Night Verses would've fared well even if the departure wouldn't have happened, but then we wouldn't have this.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 10
Songwriting: 10
Originality: 8
Production: 10





Written on 26.09.2018 by Doesn't matter that much to me if you agree with me, as long as you checked the album out.


Comments

Comments: 2   Visited by: 134 users
02.10.2018 - 12:11
Fallen Ghost
Craft Beer Geek
This album is fantastic!
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27.11.2018 - 21:02
Rating: 10
Stalker
Lone wanderer
I really hope they won't be looking for a new vocalist! I tried listening to their previous album, but could not stand the vocals. Just not for me. Whereas this album... O M G! I've been listening to it almost exclusively for the past month or more. Definitely one of the best and most original albums I've heard in the past few years.
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