IMPERMANENCE

For the last three years, my album of the year has been a debut record (Moura's self-titled in 2020, Papangu's Holoceno in 2021, and The Mighty Orchid King's Mycelium Music Vol. 1 in 2022). It's a bit of a strange coincidence. So far this year, I've found some good debut records, but none are quite in that top echelon to vie for the top spot on my year-end list.

Dominic Sanderson's new album, Impermanence, isn't technically a debut, but it is his first full-length release. (Prior to this, he released an EP in 2020.) This record is an impressive collection of some of the darker sounds of classic prog, synthesized into something modern and exciting.

The album opens with "I Don't Think I Can Get Over This After All", a downbeat acoustic track. Flute, piano, and Mellotron add a haunting atmosphere, and this recalls some of Porcupine Tree's stronger acoustic songs. The song gains momentum near its end, propelled by violin, wordless vocals, and rolling percussion.

"The Twisted Hand of Fate" follows. Anxious, palm-muted guitars build a tense atmosphere in the opening moments. After a brief, semi-metallic eruption, things scale back to a quiet  nervousness. I love how forward the weird, jazzy bassline is, and the creepy flourishes of electric piano and flute. The song's final two minutes are bigger and bolder, prominently featuring a searing Gilmourian guitar solo. In the mix, too, are jagged, King Crimson-inspired riffs and low, growling saxophones.

Acoustic guitars and gentle vocals return on "This Night and the Wounds It Will Bring". There's a sense of foreboding and vulnerability to this cut. Sanderson clearly demonstrates his ability to cultivate striking atmospheres here, with the many layers of guitar, Mellotron, and synthesizer that swell and fade away.

Oddball choir Mellotron and a dizzy guitar line kick off "Is There Calm Amongst This Chaos?" with a bang. This storming introduction resolves into something quiet and sweet, though. It's a bit jarring, but it works well. It eventually returns to a churning, metallic guitar riff, but with a piercing flute overhead. The final couple minutes of this song feature an array of musical ideas which cycle in and out, all of which add to the overall sense of doom on this record.

After the pummeling outro of the preceding cut, "An Empty Room" is a nice bit of breathing space. It's a (mostly) solo acoustic guitar piece that fits into the flow of Impermanence very well. It reminds me of some of Opeth's quieter moments.

"A False Sense of Promise" flows directly out of "An Empty Room". Its opening minute focuses primarily on acoustic guitar and piano, but it gradually becomes more and more lush, with the addition of Mellotron flutes. When Sanderson's voice eventually enters, it's gentle and multi-layered, giving this whole passage a light, floating feeling.

Impermanence ends on the twenty-minute "Like Shards of Glass Falling Through My Fingers". Its opening passage focuses on Sanderson's vocal arrangements, first a cappella, and then backed by a huge-sounding organ, giving this section a nearly hymnal quality. Finally, around three minutes in, a biting guitar line takes the lead. Supported by both organ and Mellotron, this passage is also intercut with jazzy riffage.

The dynamic contrasts continue when Sanderson's hushed vocals appear with a haunting, minimalist backing. Dashes of flute are deployed smartly and call to mind King Crimson's first two albums. As well, some of his melodies remind me of material off Grace for Drowning. Despite these clear influences, Sanderson's music is firmly his own; this is not a derivative work.

Walls of Mellotron and crashing drums explode to support a piercing, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez-inspired guitar solo, and this crescendo is followed by more heavy instrumentals in a relatively classic prog vein.

As this suite enters its final movement, there's a sense of hope to the music. Warm and gentle synth loops eventually lead to a grandiose guitar solo that would have fit in marvelously on The Division Bell. It borders on being too sappy, but it manages to avoid crossing that line. After such a grim-sounding record, this is a rather nice way to wrap things up.

Impermanence is a great record that blends many of the sounds of progressive rock's heavier acts, like Porcupine Tree, King Crimson, and VdGG. Every song on this album is a strong composition, and they work even better as a unified whole.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2023/07/12/album-review-dominic-sanderson-impermanence/