Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012)

There have been a ton of big releases during 2012 but I have not been more excited about any release during this year than this one. The album I am talking about is the long awaited The Parallax II: Future Sequence by the awesome band Between The Buried And Me. This album is a follow up to last years EP The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues and continues on the concept that the EP started. Now you may think that it would be suitable to review the EP before wiriting about Future Sequence but since the EP only contains three songs I will sum it up right now. It is an awesome EP. Nothing really more to say. Let us now go to the second part of the Parallax adventure.

Even though the album is divided into twelve seperate tracks I would consider this album as one 72-minute long song. The transcisions from song to song are very smooth and if you do not pay close attention you possibly wont realize that the album has changed song. But just because it feels like one mega-song you can clearly sense the difference between the different tracks. But it takes some time to know which song is which cause most of the songs on Parallax II are long and hard to get a grip at.

As usual when we talk about BTBAM, the musicality the performers perform are spot on. The riffs are great and both the vocalists does a great job to set the mood. But best, as always, is the drumming styles of Blake richardson. I still can not believe that he drums like he does. His fills and beats are unique and crazy (but not to crazy). I can not imagine a BTBAM without Richardson. He is truly amazing. Best drummer during the 21 century without a doubt.

Well, enough praising to Blake, more about the album. As always, BTBAM shows a ton of different genres during the performance. Everything from jazz, blues, fusion to metalcore and rock. A attribute that gives only advantages to the band. But even unusual instruments is getting room in Parallax II. For example, you can hear a xylophone in "Extremophile Elite". A freaking xylophone! Did you ever imagine a xylophone in a heavy metal album! Well I did not and I love it. Other parts of the album that stands out a little more is the piano riff to "Bloom", the soothing starter and closer "Goodbye to Everything" and "Goodbye To Everything Reprise" and the hard and challenging "Telos". Aah, who am I kidding, every track stands tall on their own and together they create a fantastic story.

Finally, I have only got this to say. End this year now, infact, let the apocalypse come now. There is nothing that will top this release. This is as close to a perfect album as you gonna get. I could not believe that BTBAM could not only top Colors but also crush it into little pieces. The band is bursting with creativeness and the energy the band is releasing is really unbelievable. So go get the album, let it sink in and then wait for the apocalypse. Cause there is nothing more to wait for. There is nothing more to prove.

Songs worthy of recognition: EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!!

Rating: 10/10 Astral Bodies

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