ALL GODS ARE GONE

One of the most recommended prog metal albums for me this year was this LP by Swiss group Appearance Of Nothing. Setting aside my fatigue with the somewhat stale nature of modern prog metal, I have looked into it, and while I still cannot set down my distaste for what this once-glorious sound has now become, it is clear to me that some albums of this sound stand out more than others. With a handful of guest appearances from some big names in metal, 'All Gods Are Gone' appears to be this band's breakthrough record; a refreshing escape from the Dream Theater worship that many prog metal bands fall into. The bottom line; Appearance Of Nothing have made themselves a fine record to beckon the listeners of 2011 in.

Appearance Of Nothing tends to fall towards in a comfortable middle ground of the prog metal spectrum, both knowing how to be technical and wild at times, but also narrowing in on that feeling of the 'epic' that much power metal aims for. Appearance Of Nothing are a very melodic band, albeit without necessarily being catchy; the strength of this band instead lies in the way they have been able to throw a bunch of different ideas into the mixing bowl and have them come out as something relatively cohesive. Know that 'All Gods Are Gone' is far from the most refreshing listen in prog metal that's come out lately, but I will say that they do more with their sound than most. Here, I am hearing the sounds of symphonic, death, and power metal, and even distinct sounds of electronica, which still sound a little jarring amidst the rest of the more traditional sounds.

As far as musicianship goes, this band is a winner, and the arrangement and layering of the compositions is excellent. Appearance Of Nothing has an eclectic sound to them, with heavy riffs and growls being contrasted with jazzy interludes, power metal choruses and a few surprises here and there. The style is certainly not new, but the band keeps changing up the sound and pace of the music, so it stays fairly interesting. Also, an intriguing addition here are the vocals of Dan Swano and Devon Graves, the former being a hero of mine for death metal. Although the vocals of neither are used particularly well, they are refreshing cameos, and give Appearance Of Nothing a stable position in the prog metal network.

A very good album, and even great for the mere fact that its eclectic style makes much of the output by similar bands seem dwarfed in comparison. Even still, the sounds of melodic prog metal seem like they're getting too mixed in with AOR, and- not to mention the lyrics- there is a certain level of cheese here that might turn off the more serious listeners. All that being said, here is an album with good writing and excellent musicianship, a great introduction to this Swiss act.

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