Sculptured - Embodiment

The interview with Don Anderson is published here:

Interview with Sculptured to come

OK Assaf,my mistake.

TheProgtologist wrote: I really like Sculptured,and Embodiment is excellent.   I added it here with 2007 as the release date,are you sure it was released in 2008?

SCULPTURED — Embodiment
Review by avestin (Assaf Vestin)
Special Collaborator Zeuhl/RIO/Avant Team

— First review of this album —

A fantastic musical sculpture

From The End Records comes this fine release with an impressive lineup that not only promises but delivers beyond my expectations. The lineup is made up of guitarist Don Anderson bassist Jason Walton (both from Agalloch), Andy Winter on keyboards (Winds, Age Of Silence), drummer Dave Murray (ex-Estradasphere, Deserts Of Traun, Tholus) and vocalist Tom Walling.

Wow, what a start! This album opens with such a kick in your face heavy riffs mixed with great lush keyboards much in a 70’s inspired Hammond organ style. What’s great in this album is how they have progressed! This is wonderfully prog rock woven into metal form. This album is just full of progressive metal goodness: intricate guitar playing, fast changing rhythms, cool tunes, excellent playing, richness of sound, combined vocal styles (growling and clear) – a recipe for excellence. This is an excellent album, get it now! The production is great, clear and fresh. The songs are obviously well structured and have many intricacies built into them in terms of deviations from the main theme whether by time signature changes, vocal style, intensity or mood. They have done a remarkable work here that has caught me from the very first listen.

The choice to have only 5 tracks (though mostly long ones) has proven to be a wise one, as this album is a dense and rich experience and a longer album would have resulted in a less effective experience. The last songs, Embodiment is the Purest Form of Horror, is in itself a good reason to get this. It is a fantastic voyage between the fierceness of metal to the more melodic and mellow sides of it (reminiscing Winds somewhat), to a majestic part lead by keyboards and backed up wonderfully by the drums. It is a wonderful song and a good representative of the track they have gone to, or rather the level they have elevated up to.

If you’re unfamiliar with Sculptured, then band that might serve as reference would be the obvious Agalloch to a certain point but mostly Winds and Age Of Silence, and to some extent Opeth. Fans of these will love this most probably. In any case, they have not changed their basic style or sound; they have improved it and progressed and fulfilled their fine potential.

In short – it is a great progressive metal/rock album! This has started my list of the best 2008 albums.

Posted Saturday, January 26, 2008, 17:10 EST
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Yes it is the band linked to Agalloch.

I will be sure to check this one out. It has been a long time since they have released a full album, I think I last listened to them in 2000 and this was their album Apollo Ends. Musically I found them more varied than Agalloch, but lacking the more emotional facets.




Edited by Black Velvet - January 26 2008 at 05:19

I just listened to "Take My Body Apart" on myspace... wow. This is the kind of metal that i like to hear, in which every musician gets a chance to elaborate on a piece. (repetitive shredding in a rapid pace combined with double kick drum spamming and no audible bass line has never appealed to me) I'm still listening to the samples of their older stuff (which is also excellent imo) but their latest track does seem especially technical & progressive.

I think this is some of the better music i've heard so far this year as well. Thanks again

Maybe a myspace link will help: