Tuesday 12 November 2013

Thomas Taylor - Yet to be Named (Demo) [Review]


Thomas Taylor plays instrumental progressive metal with a heavy dose of djenty feel in a lot of the riffs. Now, I’m not usually a fan of fully instrumental music, and I have never been fond of djent (still not sure it’s even a real thing) but the music on this demo is original and well-written enough to at least keep me interested throughout the 11 minute duration.

The first song here “Schizoid” is based around an assortment of chuggy patterns and shredding guitar leads that change rapidly and keep the listener’s attention moving with the song. The leads and solo in this song are particularly impressive. Taylor certainly knows how to shred, and tastefully too. The tone is a little muddy in the lowest of the low chug-along riffage, but it’s forgivable as the rest of the production is great for what I assume is a home (or at least budget) job. The drums (or drum programming) are also very well done, sounding techy but within the realm of what a human being can play.

The next song “Pickless” is the complete opposite of the first track (except that it also shows off Taylor’s very accomplished guitar skills). This song is comprised fully of clean guitar and bass, tapping and sliding around some really pretty melodies. Sometimes things feel a bit cluttered with all of the notes, but the song as a whole is very enjoyable.

The last track “Timbre” seems like a combination of styles from the first two tracks. It is most definitely heavy, as dem fatty chugs djent along in the background while more melodic guitar and keyboard work takes the forefront. There is a very cool layering of big guitar chords with tremolo picked melodies and a near-flawlessly played sweepfest of a solo near the end. However, the end of the song feels rather abrupt and I feel that this song in particular, and consequently the demo as a whole, feels just a bit unfinished.

This isn’t a style of music that usually blows my mind, but Taylor is such a talented guitarist that I can’t help but give him a lot of points for that alone. The songs here are also showcase a lot of cool, sometimes memorable, ideas. If you don’t mind your metal with a definite proggy, modern slant, this guy is worth checking out: http://thomastaylor.bandcamp.com/
Tex's rating: 80%

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