MAGICAL THINKING

Minutian is an alternative rock metal band that debuted in 2011. Sounds from Tool, Oceansize may tickle your ear. This is their 3rd opus more modern prog-rock metal with 'roller coaster' genre breaks; a melancholic and depressive prog metal at times with reminiscences of rush and psyche, thanks to the heavy guitar playing and racy rhythms. Pekka Loponen on guitar is involved alongside singer Mikko Heino, offering beautiful harmonies and obvious complementarity.

"Alien Reflection" and a heavy, groovy attack, catchy and rocky rhythm after 17 seconds of sweetness; heavy prog metal tormented. "Suspicious Smiles" with a heady Frippian tune followed by a mid-tempo AOR tune, the soft voice that astonishes, the drums flowing naturally, metal tune with prog component à la Soen, à la Tool. "Doublespeak" more in Alice in Chains for vocals, early Oceansize, a bit on the latest Katatonia, Paradise Lost, the bass forward takes on a progressive rhythmic drift, one of the best tracks for a dynamic modern sound and a gloomy, depressive mid-term approach. "Supersymmetry" for melodic prog rock, long crescendo track, airy texture, a throbbing guitar riff, space-filling vocals, it arises before the sharp weighted explosion.

"Magical Thinking" and the arrival of a synthetic, electronic phrasing sound, a bit like Devo for a fusion of genre, a bit also of Simple Minds, a more pop and confusing tune. "Vacant Eyes" with a heavy sounding, the bass that harks back to haunting doom, evolving with again Paradise Lost or Katatonia see Soen for the subtle association of progressive sounds in an original metallic tune. "Scarefire" rolls in, rhythmic, catchy title, dancing yes you read that right, voice forward, Tool sound, electrified tune, a little stressful chorus but the good taste to finish it in a synthetic way. "The Grand Scheme" for the colorful finale with a chorus rather than a voice, guitars going everywhere.

Be careful not to be fooled by appearances with Minutian, there is not only good and heavy prog metal in it, you risk finding various sounds, colorful (I like that word!) On each of the different atmospheric titles and scalable cut for the scene that we miss. Singular album which requires listening.