SONGS FOR INSECTS

Being a patron of Progarchives for about a year and a half, I've constantly read and looked at the various reviews published here, constantly discovering works of artists I have never heard of and reconsidering works of artists that I have listened to for years. I feel like now it is time for me to contribute to the sprawling collections of words and opinions that grace most of the albums good enough to be called 'progressive' When I decided on what I wanted to review first, I did not want to choose an obvious staple as I feel it would pale to and get lost within the already abundant amount of reviews already written. It had to be about an album that I was very passionate about but I also wanted to progress the site further by adding to an album that has thus been ignored. So without further ado, I present to you Thought Industry and the fantastic debut album "Songs for Insects".

"Songs for Insects" is one of the most abstract, intelligent, and heavy pieces of progressive metal I have ever had the joy of listening to. The small Kalamazoo-based Thought Industry sure hit the mark and all the right notes when constructing this masterpiece. Once in a while, you'll find an album that you love where every song is put in the right place, perfectly balanced, and cannot be skipped over. This is the definition of an 'album' as opposed to a collection of songs of a similar theme put together. Yet each song completely stands on its own as quality progressive metal with tinges of avant-garde to spice things up every now and then.

Starting from a musical standpoint, you can tell that these are 4 musicians who understand not only how to play their instruments, but also how their instruments play together and into each other. Vocally, I find a strong connection from singer Brent Oberlin to Fates Warning singer John Arch in the way they weave lyrics together and pronounce words in such a way that, although unorthodox,they tend to flow with the music itself. Oberlin can switch from a sing-songy croon to a effect-distorted scream, depending on the desired mood of the verse, making it more interesting as you can never tell when one will occur at a given point. And, ever more impressively, he performs this all while playing bass, and oh what a bass he plays ladies and gentlemen. Guitarists Paul Enzio and Christopher Lee sure do their own part in adding to the technical wizardry and they take turns creating zig-zaging solos, that in all of the chaos and time changes, seem perfectly fit within their rhythms and are not extraneous in any way whatsoever. And how can I forget Dustin Donaldson, who effortlessly dances in these jazz and classical rhythms, every now and then adding his own subtle finishes, where need be. When taken all together, the music speaks for itself in its complexity, emotion, and, d*%^ it all, its catchiness. Even with the extreme direction that some songs can progress into, I can't help but finding myself whistling to these tunes from time to time.

On the other side of the coin lies the lyrical aspect of Thought Industry which only adds to the wonder of "Songs for Insects". From just one glance at the lyrics of the liner notes, it is amazing to see how much information these guys can pack into one song. From ramblings about Mao Zedong and Tianamen Square to God-wondering references about philosophers such as Anselm, Pascal, and Mackie to simply perplexing rants about subjects I can't even begin to decipher. It is surely text that you can just sit down and try to analyze and have fun coming up with your own conclusions to, an aspect of lyric composition that I definitely find much joy in.

Now I personally left out any specific mention of songs in the review as I have discovered, through personal experience. that a review constantly rating and describing the songs can sometimes leave me with an expectation, and might degrade my personal listening and feeling. With this in mind, I leave my readers who have not discovered this magnificent album, to expand their palate and hopefully find the same reverence and feeling I have found from "Songs for Insects". I mean, isn't that the point of music? To experience an emotional state of unique awe and wonder that can only be achieved from that piece, and to deliver that same state to others. And I hope I have accomplished that today.