Between The Buried And Me - Colours

General Information

Original Author: Owen

Artist: Between The Buried And Me

Album: Colours

Genre: Progressive Metalcore/Death Metal/Jazz

Initially Released: 2007

Tracklist

01. Foam Born: The Backtrack
02. The Decade of Statues
03. Informal Gluttony
04. Sun of Nothing
05. Ants of the Sky
06. Prequel to the Sequel
07. Viridian
08. White Walls

Sound

10

To start I'd like to say I've not heard anything this versatile since Opeth and these guys surpass Opeth in contrasting styles by miles, as an avid Opeth fan it pains me to say this but there is much more variety in this album than just about everything else in Metal, it's astoundingly clever, a real gem.

Not many bands can sustain 10 minutes of pure metal and then suddenly switch to a pink floyd-esque lead passage, dance into country music and then descend back into an extended metal madness sweep picking solo. Ants of the Sky is just that.

The sound itself isnt completely distinguishable as Opeth for example as there is so much going on all over the entirety of the album, but it is much more ear friendly than most metal bands, I managed to spend extended periods of time listening to it as theres something almost cheerful about their casual use of sweep picking and upbeat stylings.

It's hard to believe a band would dare to take a sound this adventurous as their signature, there's absolutley everything in here excluding the kitchen sink, Blues, Jazz, Death Metal, Metalcore, Progression, Country.

Its nuts.

Lyrics

8

The lyrics are very conceptual, tainted with metaphors, hope and observation, Ants of the Sky examines the human race and likens us to Ants flying through life, trying to find what we love:

Across all oceans... a windy, noisy trek...
This seems to be what I've needed
The view used to be better... lands are growing into one
We wanted it this way. We weren't brought up to grow into one
I'm going to fly up soon and seek other lands. The soothing air of flight...
A bird's eye view into what I've always imagined life could be
Will it be sought after?
It might just be useless writing and ideas that laziness will corrupt in the end
Bones of dust need hardening. I think the prescription is found

Written in an airport, the author takes a step back and looks at our busy lives, were we're going, what we're at.

White Walls mocks the way many people crave attention and idolism, whoring ourselves out and conforming to what is considered 'the way to be', bands and musicians selling an image, not music, those with dark, vain and insipid personalities:

The monsters are made
And we have proven that we will be one of them
The whores take the stage... Flash our skills...
Gotta draw 'em in... Gotta keep 'em on their toes...
Don't show them how you truly are... Who would want honesty...
Who would want a group of people that one can relate with
We need worship, we need devotion...
Becoming gods from the image that is thrown...

Poiniently the last line of the album details the whole song in just two words, it tells people who follow such a way of thinking that they are nothing but blank canvases, empty sheets of paper with no ideas, ambition or inspiration:

White Wall

Strong but not exceptionally clever, with an eye on making the listener (or reader) think about their own morality and values, how they place themselves, they do not give a message, rather and opinion, a window to look through, strong, but not overly influent.

Vocals

9

Again, there is a multitude of different stylings here, shouted, clean, rising and predominantly; death metal growling, each style is well developed and whilst Thomas Rogers doesnt have the most fearsome growl in metal or the most soaring cleans, theres enough variety to keep it very interesting indeed.

Guitar & Drum Work

10

The crazy time signatures and abundant use of of sweep picking speak for themselves on this album, they never get boring, I can only imagine the time it has taken for each member to get so formiddable with their instrument of choice as the work here is truely inspiring, this band must listen to so many different styles of music so frequently as to attain what they even want to consider writing music with.

Overall Impression

10

Going to give this one a ten because it by far deserves it, 5 guys from the US have broken all the rules of our musical perception and whilst it takes a while of getting into, I think this is a beautiful album. It starts off so delicately and comes around full circle to the point were it started, this sort of musical interpretation we could and should see a lot more of.

Are they better than bands like Opeth?

I dont know, but one thing is for sure, they are up there!

Sample at Myspace