EXIVIOUS

Exivious play technical jazzy metal with an onslaught of instrumental jamming and shredding. The band sounds very much like Octopus (Chile) and offer a similar technical sophistication, but they sometimes miss the emotional impact and the catchy grooves of that band.

The band sure knows how to mix the tough power of metal with the fluency of jazz. The opening song is an excellent example of that. Also Time and Its Changes is a great listen. But after a couple of tracks, the relentless business of the material can become tiresome, making this into an album typical for the kind of music created by highly proficient musicians. They put on a tight and impressive spectacle but they can't surprise with their songwriting. It's enjoyable for quite a couple of songs, but it can quickly become too much. I think it misses the memorable riffs and hooks one expects from metal.

Spectacular, vibrant and technical but clinical and cold. I admit it's an objection I have towards most math-metal so while this warrants 3 solid stars in my personal appreciation, it should sure be an excellent listen for most fans of the style.