Among the many symptoms of psychosis are the classic voices in your head. Musical oddballs, Meta-Stasis harness this twisted, split personality. Releasing their second record we welcome the band back to the Metal world once again this year. Quite unlike any of the material that you will heave heard this year their truly off the wall style of music has a mind of its own. Whether it’s deemed sane or not, you’re about to find out…
[tracklist]
1. Welcome To My Asylum
2. The Thorn
3. Disintegrate
4. United Monarchy
5. Means To An End
6. Fathomless
7. Son Of a The Priest
8. I am Nothing
9. Under Your Skin
10. Ways Of The Wise
11. Kill Her
12. The Body Suffers While The Soul Flowers
[/tracklist]
[details]
[length]62:00[/length]
[record_label][/record_label]
[release_date]31st July 2015[/release_date]
[/details]
Kicking things off with the appropriately titled “Welcome To My Asylum“, the band set the tone for the album’s proceedings. Jumping schizophrenically from the identity to straight up Death Metal with fearsome blast beats coming out of the woodwork. We slowly begin to realise that all is not quite as it seems in the world of The Paradox Of Metanoia. “The Thorn” brings up another guise of the band. Beginning in an almost Jungle style vibe, most akin to Anaal Nathrakh if I were to put a label on it. Just as soon as the dust has settled we’re then moved into Nu-Metal territory. Yet without sounding dated the band breeze past it before being put forward a barrage of distinctly more technical riffs.
“Fathomless” summons the Tech Metal elements from the band, showing a spastic set of guitar lines before the crooning chorus followed by a classic Thordendal-esque solo. Though the band might frequently and flippantly change genres, they’ve definitely got the technical chops to back it up. Featuring some great guitar solo’s particularly on “United Monarchy“. Though don’t let that put you off the band, perhaps not the most conventional but the band never forgoe song writing, a key element in what makes the band work. Having known where the band are going the entire time, this is organised chaos to say the least.
The cinematic “Means To An End” paints a fantastically bleak picture of our cyborg like mental asylum before single “Disintegrate” features softer vocals, a welcome contrast from the harsh delivery, giving the song a great sense of balance. With “Son Of The Priest” containing an introduction that would have Chucky shaking in his boots this leads to a more Deathcore feel with breakdowns plentiful. The demented unpredictability that the band employ has the possibility to go catastrophically wrong. Instead however the material is executed with precision and quality to back it up. Each track being over the five minute mark each slab is as maniacal as the last. Personally the Jungle style would do well to stay in the back ground, leaving riffs like the Chimaira loving “Under Your Skin” room to breathe. Which alone is more than enough for the band to run with. Often deciding to employ as many instrumental genres as possible can be a veil on the band itself. Shrouding the group from their shortcomings, yet this is where Meta-Stasis are surpsing and use their well trained palette to their creative advantage rather than masking instrumental short falls.
While there might not be, to quote Cannibal Corpse, an element of demented aggression on this album the atmosphere oozes lunacy. Bringing an element of theatre to the listening experience The Paradox Of Metanoia might not appeal to everyone but for those who are looking for something that brings new elements to the Metal table, then take a look around at the scribbled walls, desperate claw marks and make yourself at home in your very own sixty two minute asylum.
[verdict]Maybe[/verdict]
[why]Perhaps not for everyone but Meta-Stasis’ melding of various different genres cloaked in a fantastically ghoulish atmospher makes for a carnival of horrors style listen. Unhinged and inventive. [/why]
Meta-Stasis’ brand new album is out July 31st via Depraved Records
