NIGHT VERSES

While djent may not be my all time favorite of the more prog metal oriented genres out there, I can't deny I do have a lot of enjoyment for the medium. Obviously since one of my favorite records of all time, Periphery IV: Hail Stan, is a djent record. So when I heard about this new album within the djent medium of sound, I was intrigued, however this intrigue has led me to a desire for sounds that weren't fully within its general scope.

Every Sound Has a Color in the Valley of Night is the fourth (I do not count the part 1 record released in 2023) record from the more recent prog metal trio Night Verses, and their second album without lead vocalist Douglas Robinson.

As with most djent bands, this group is obviously quite complex, which I do enjoy, but I think what sets them apart is that they are a lot more akin to math rock, rather than the general inspirations djent usually cater too. While they do have a bit more modern math rock sounds in their threshold, such as a clear inspiration from Polyphia and TTNG, this album fits more of a hardcore math rock bill, similar to Don Caballero and Hella. They've always been a lot more hardcore oriented, especially when Douglas was on board, but I am glad they at least continue this more punkish sound in their mix of syncopated chords and rhythms

The use of more post-metal-esque designs for their songs also works for me. While it being djent the whole POST stuff becomes a lot more secondary, I can still feel a very atmospheric weight going into and out of the record. This more post-metal element is found a lot more in Phoenix V Invocation, but you can also feel it in Séance, and Åska. I really like it a lot. I am of the belief that while post-rock is more separate from prog, I think post-metal is a lot more progressively tuned, which is sort of why you can hear it a lot more in records of such a genre. Night Verses proves that very well.

However, I don't think this record is a masterpiece, much less an all time hit, as it sort of runs in a similar direction to Dvne's Voidkind, though in a bit of a different way. While I think every song on here is great, I feel like they don't quite have the weight or girth that was on the band's first two records, and I think that is mostly because of a lack of a vocalist. While I think instrumental music is great, I feel like in regards to genres like djent or post-metal, a vocalist is more needed in order to really let the music soar in my mind. This is their second album without a vocalist, so they have improved in their playing, especially when taking a look at From the Gallery of Sleep. However, I still think they could be so much more with some good, aggressive singing. Or even just regular singing. It kinda stings too since Glitching Prisms has a vocalist, and a good one at that with Brandon Boyd of Incubus, so they can really enhance their music if they find the right people, but with all the tracks besides Glitching Prisms being instrumentals, it makes the music a tad sour in my ears.

Speaking of such, this album does have a bit of a problem where it is too bottom heavy. The second half just feels a lot more refined and polished than the first, which I have said many times before about my dislike of this kind of weight. The first 6 tracks are good, don't get me wrong, but they just don't quite carry a torch to tracks like Åska, the aforementioned Glitching Prisms, and Phoenix V Invocation. I won't bog down this topic too much since I think I'd just be beating a dead horse.

This might be another lower four for me. It is better than Dvne's VoidKind, but I wouldn't say it is as good as something like Philip Glass Solo. Still, I think you should check this one out even with my complaints in mind. After all, who knows, in the future this band could easily improve so much on their instrumentals to where I could think they wouldn't need any singing whatsoever. This is still new territory for the band, so we should allow them to explore it. Not the best, but it has quite a lot of charms in it to make up for it.

Best tracks: Åska, Glitching Prisms, Phoenix V Invocation

Worst track: Rose Wire

Despite not being particularly original and groundbreaking, From The Gallery Of Sleep still seems more than just excellent. Genre-wise we are treated here with instrumental progressive metal a-la Animals As Leaders. As you would expect, the music is highly technical and complex, with insane drumming and guitar chops here and there. What makes it excel, however, is the variety and the amount of exciting or catchy parts, which saves it from falling into the realm of pointless wankery, as happens with the music of this kind just too often.

At no point it gets boring and hard to listen, and there is another huge reason for that: the music highly atmospheric. A lot of reverb, synths and enigmatic spoken word samples draw a picture the cover art suggests: grey, somewhat abstract and mesmerizing. The band skillfully juggles atmospheric parts with heavy bursts, delivering contrast-metal at its best, almost on the level of Opeth or BTBAM. Very effective.

I've listened to the album around 50 times during these two years and it has aged perfectly, not wearing out and remaining extremely impressive. Highly recommended for those craving some mind-blowing prog-metal. Here is the stuff at its best: technical yet fun to listen to, complex yet catchy, heavy yet ambient, unpredictable yet cohesive.