COLLIDING SKIES

Australia: Land of Prog. What? In the last few years, the Aussies have been releasing some of the best progressive albums I've ever heard. I could list them all, but I'd rather just spotlight one particular band, Chaos Divine. One could call them some sort of progressive metal, or maybe black metal. Or maybe neither. They actually call themselves "progressive heavy rock". I like the sound of that. Their sound has definitely been progressing lately (imagine that!), and the growls and harsh vocals that were once dominant (or at least on equal footing) are now given less and less time. You know what? Good riddance! There previous album "The Human Connection" was an immense, magnificent ode to fatherhood and gorgeous climaxes, but the harsh vocals always have bothered me slightly.

Chaos Divine plays a progressive metal sound that involves searing guitar work, emotional climaxes, worthwhile lyrical concepts, and especially the explosive voice of Dave Anderton. The band consists of Anderton on vocals, Ryan Felton and Simon Mitchell on guitars, Michael Kruit on bass, and Ben Mazzarol on drums. Their music is a continuous spiral and roller coaster of guitar theatrics, and, this time around, the drums and bass keep up, too. There is also a surprising amount of melody that works its way into the music, making Chaos Divine more dynamic than heavy and more elevating than grounded. There is certainly an ethereal quality to their sound that can often be difficult to corner.

What did I like about this album, "Colliding Skies"? First off, Anderton makes this album, and I say that with the greatest respect for all the other bands members. Anyone that knows me will say that I love vocals too much, and Anderton's vocal performance on this album is simply out of this world. He has such a strong tone, but he consistently hits highs that just blow my mind. This guy doesn't just hit them once or twice, though, as many of the choruses (catchy as hell, by the way) are completely built around explosion, emotional vocal lines that still come across as nuanced. This year has been a great year thus far for vocals, and Anderton is at the top, for sure.

As far as songwriting goes, the album is very accessible. It might be slightly less progressive in structure, but the album hits again and again with song after song that will get caught in your head. "Landmines", "Badge of Honour", and my favorite, "Painted with Grey", begin the album, and they are simply breath-taking at points. The single "Soldiers" is somewhat normal, but still great. My second favorite, "Mara", ends the album along with "With Nothing We Depart", which, again, are two amazing songs back to back. The latter song even features some great sax!

What didn't I like? While I adore this album, I do feel there are two things that detract from the experience. Most importantly, the album does get a little "same-y". The songwriting isn't particularly diverse, and many of the songs between tracks 5-8 tend to blend together in my mind. That isn't to say the songs are bad, but they just aren't that different from one another.

My second problem involves the production. While the cover is probably the most gorgeous piece of art I've seen this year, the audio is lacking, just like on their past albums. The swirling guitars, bass, and drums tend to succumb to the "white noise" effect at times, though the vocals never do. I will say that the sound is definitely better than on "The Human Connection", but not by a huge amount.

Overall, this is an extremely solid release from one of my favorite Aussie bands. They have the emotions, the class, and the chops to create very special albums, and "Colliding Skies" certainly is that. The band definitely put their all into their music, and I have great respect for that passion.