ETERNAL MOVEMENT

The post-rock/metal scene of the style that Tides from Nebula play seems nowadays overly saturated, to the point where you can not distinguish between bands - a large number of which appear to be following exactly the same recipes and cliches in their search to produce a "post" metal or rock album.

This is the third release from the Polish post metallers and my first acquaintance with the band. Compared to the "typical" post-metal bands or pioneers of the genre (see Isis, Pelican) Tides from Nebula take on a much more post-rock approach to their style, with low tempos and numerous clean guitar passages. The textures are not untypical of the post-rock methodology whereby melodic riffs build up to a heavy climax, fade back and the cycle is repeated. The album starts off quite interestingly with a Maiden-esque riff on 'Laughter of Gods' (cf. Moonchild) and the relative variation in the first half is depicted in 'Satori' with eastern sounds and the dynamic closing of 'Emptiness of Yours and Mine'. Delay loops on the guitars are characteristic of the sound, which relies more upon the atmospheric/melodic atmospheres and less on heavy riffing and tempo changes.

Although not a bad album per se, the majority of the record surrenders itself in cliches and repetitiveness (another characteristic of post-rock/metal bands these days), which results in a feeling of relative boredom and a thought of "I have surely heard this before". If this album stood in isolation, maybe we would be talking for an interesting release. As it stands, this might appeal to the devoted fans of the style or could act as a sample of the scene for newcomers.

2.5 stars. Thanks to Jon Freeman for providing a promo.