Extol The Blueprint Dives
Solid State Records TND75396 March 29th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
If theres one band I know, its Extol. After all, I do have their logo tattooed on my left arm, which is a testament to my level of fanaticism. Moving on, its been two years since Synergy graced the ears of metalheads, and The Blueprint Dives has just dropped to a puzzled audience. Is it good? Well, yes and no. Does it measure up to their back catalog? I must confess that it does not.
Perhaps the most major change the group has faced since their previous iteration is the loss of two, formidable members. However, the band quickly picked up notable replacements (ex-Lengsel members) and put their noses to the grindstone. So, as you can imagine, cataclysmic line-up changes lead to cataclysmic changes in the sound department. Basically, two-thirds of the album is an extension of Synergy, and tracks such as Gloriana, Soul Deprived, In Reversal, From the Everyday Mountain Top, The Things Ive Found, Essence, and Void expound. The other third is ripe with experimentation derived from the lighter side of the spectrum, which songs such as Pearl, Another Adams Escape, Lost in Dismay, and The Death Sedative extrapolate. The Synergy-esque tracks are all safe investments, though none of the aforementioned compositions quite measure up to Grace for Succession or Thrash Synergy. The mellower opuses are interesting if nothing else. In addition, there are a lot more clean vocalizations on this go-around. Pearl is possibly the most emotional song Ive heard this year, while Another Adams Escape is jazzy and The Death Sedative is eerie due to its repetitiveness. Overall, The Blueprint Dives will please fans of Extols latest work, but those of you that extol Undeceived (or earlier outings) will be even more put out this time.
So, while I still have an affinity for Extol, I can say that The Blueprint Dives isnt what I was hoping for. There are, however, some captivating moments to be found on the former. And, so you know, my version is the Christian release, which comes out a month and a few days before the Century Media one. Thus, if you cant set foot inside a Christian bookstore without setting it on fire, then itd be best to wait until May 3rd when the secular CD frees itself from the CM shackles. It is out in Europe already, though.
7.5/10
Official Extol Website
Official Solid State Records Website
Solid State Records TND75396 March 29th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
If theres one band I know, its Extol. After all, I do have their logo tattooed on my left arm, which is a testament to my level of fanaticism. Moving on, its been two years since Synergy graced the ears of metalheads, and The Blueprint Dives has just dropped to a puzzled audience. Is it good? Well, yes and no. Does it measure up to their back catalog? I must confess that it does not.
Perhaps the most major change the group has faced since their previous iteration is the loss of two, formidable members. However, the band quickly picked up notable replacements (ex-Lengsel members) and put their noses to the grindstone. So, as you can imagine, cataclysmic line-up changes lead to cataclysmic changes in the sound department. Basically, two-thirds of the album is an extension of Synergy, and tracks such as Gloriana, Soul Deprived, In Reversal, From the Everyday Mountain Top, The Things Ive Found, Essence, and Void expound. The other third is ripe with experimentation derived from the lighter side of the spectrum, which songs such as Pearl, Another Adams Escape, Lost in Dismay, and The Death Sedative extrapolate. The Synergy-esque tracks are all safe investments, though none of the aforementioned compositions quite measure up to Grace for Succession or Thrash Synergy. The mellower opuses are interesting if nothing else. In addition, there are a lot more clean vocalizations on this go-around. Pearl is possibly the most emotional song Ive heard this year, while Another Adams Escape is jazzy and The Death Sedative is eerie due to its repetitiveness. Overall, The Blueprint Dives will please fans of Extols latest work, but those of you that extol Undeceived (or earlier outings) will be even more put out this time.
So, while I still have an affinity for Extol, I can say that The Blueprint Dives isnt what I was hoping for. There are, however, some captivating moments to be found on the former. And, so you know, my version is the Christian release, which comes out a month and a few days before the Century Media one. Thus, if you cant set foot inside a Christian bookstore without setting it on fire, then itd be best to wait until May 3rd when the secular CD frees itself from the CM shackles. It is out in Europe already, though.
7.5/10
Official Extol Website
Official Solid State Records Website
