Textures - Drawing Circles

General Information

Original Author: Owen

Artist: Textures

Album: Drawing Circles

Genre: Progressive / Death / Thrash Metal

Tracklist

01. Drive
02. Regenesis
03. Denying Gravity
04. Illumination
05. Stream Of Consciousness
06. Upwards
07. Circular
08. Millstone
09. Touching The Absolute
10. Surreal State Of Enlightenment

Sound

8
Textures have a very mathematical sound for a Progressive or Death metal band, sometimes you have to wonder whether the drummer is actually keeping time or keeping out of it, however there are some very strong songs demonstrating their ability to use both heavy and light interludes during choruses/verses in their music and their sound is definitely something you wont find another band emulating or already using, as it is very unique. Production here lets it down however, I find it rather tinny at points and not as strong and polished as it could have been, never the less it is a strong offering from a fairly new band with this being only their second outing and has improved massively upon the original.

Lyrics

9
There are some very clever and powerful ideas here, the first lyrics that are set loose upon our ears are perhaps the best of the entire album, Eric Kalsbeek shouting with definite conviction "We do not need a saviour to be saved, we only need a clear head and a drive" - this immediately reveals some anti-religious sentiment and paves the way for the bands clever if haphazard use of metaphorical lyrics.

Later on he also reveals his doubts in science spurting during Regenesis:

"The most beautiful thing we can experience
Is the mysterious
We measure life as a formula
SO cold so rational so much to uncover
So little time
When infinity stares you in the eye"

This could be seen as a conflict in his interests, in any such debate a side is normally decided upon, this to him is ignored, he is not interested in peoples obsessions, Kalsbeek believes in using simple logic and determination to prolong mankind's existence, he believes there is no quick solution, no easy way out of the whole we have dug but to climb it, not to wait for rescue from a mysterious power, not to spend our time probing why we are there, but to climb out of what we have dug ourselves into, to regain control of our situation.

In a truly masterful fashion he ends the album's lyrical onslaught in style:

"To slide between the rocks of time
To imagine the snake you were
To live in the perfect storm
And remember who you were"

The lyrics are not beautiful by any stretch of the imagination, but moving in a very self-righteous sense. They play happily with contrast.

Vocals

9
As with most things on this album the vocals are raging, shouting, they are the requirement of the lyrics, anger mixed with clarity means that they work well. There is also a strong sense of coercion into making the listener think, and at this they are extremely efficacious. The clean vocals work well to contrast the shouting, helping to further develop the conflict in the lyrics by fore fronting this conflict in two styles.

Guitar Work

8
I've mentioned before this point the chaotic time signatures of this band, well in this sense the guitar work follows the drums in being precise and articulately timed. There is no gratuitous soloing or in your face riffing, but what is there performs its job and does it well, reliable and modest.

Overall Impression

8.5
Clever, surprisingly punctual, merging a variety of different styles to form something fresh and new, a step away from being a clear masterpiece of musical engineering. Textures have the ability to be a very successful band, they just need to follow upon this offering with something groomed to perfection if they are to capture the large fan base they desire.