Neuraxis Trilateral Progression
Willowtip Records WT038 September 27th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Having heard a couple tracks off Trilateral Progression, I was impressed but wasnt quite floored until I saw Neuraxis in concert. Right after their set I plopped down $10 for their fourth full-length and toted it out to my car Ive been digesting it ever since. In league with fellow Canadians Cryptopsy, Quo Vadis, Beneath the Massacre, and myriad others as far as technicality goes this five-piece are monstrous, being one of the best groups in line with this form of death metal.
Here at UM you can check the archives for reviews of Imagery, A Passage into Forlorn, and Truth Beyond , but Trilateral Progression for me serves as an introduction to this uber-talented outfit. Honestly, Neuraxis are quite the blur, leaving bystanders addled by the technicality of their music, yet to be fair, it is as organized as a library. Clarity wont ease you in as much as itll leave you to fend for yourself against tornado-like, destructive death metal, which changes tempo without losing a beat. The single most razor-sharp outing has to be Monitoring the Mind the instrumental chops inflict gashes rather than petty cuts. Still, fanatics of unpredictability will enjoy A Curative Struggle for its mellow differentiation, which is indeed juxtaposed with kickass brutality. On a similar note, Chamber of Guardians boasts a full minute of softness prior to leaping headfirst into the fray, while the mechanized feel of Caricature is not as unexpected as the acoustic guitar interlude found in Axioms. Contrary to what you may think, though, theres a boatload of melody in each and every one of these tracks, sans the intro Introspect, plus the guest contributions from respective members of Despised Icon, Misery Index, Augury, and Nefastus Dies add another dimension to an already 3D record.
All in all, a 35-minute album from any band on Willowtip has almost always fared well in my experience. Neuraxiss Trilateral Progression is no different, but is different in the sense that this brand of technical, brutal death metal can be riveting without succumbing to the viruses that riddle the subgenre such as monotonous blasting, lack of tempo variation, and close-mindedness in regards to experimentation. Concerning this style only, Canada is essentially operating a monopoly, and Neuraxis are one reason the countrys done so well. If their music werent so good, then we wouldve moved on by now.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Neuraxis Website
Official Willowtip Records Website
Willowtip Records WT038 September 27th, 2005
By Jason Jordan
Having heard a couple tracks off Trilateral Progression, I was impressed but wasnt quite floored until I saw Neuraxis in concert. Right after their set I plopped down $10 for their fourth full-length and toted it out to my car Ive been digesting it ever since. In league with fellow Canadians Cryptopsy, Quo Vadis, Beneath the Massacre, and myriad others as far as technicality goes this five-piece are monstrous, being one of the best groups in line with this form of death metal.
Here at UM you can check the archives for reviews of Imagery, A Passage into Forlorn, and Truth Beyond , but Trilateral Progression for me serves as an introduction to this uber-talented outfit. Honestly, Neuraxis are quite the blur, leaving bystanders addled by the technicality of their music, yet to be fair, it is as organized as a library. Clarity wont ease you in as much as itll leave you to fend for yourself against tornado-like, destructive death metal, which changes tempo without losing a beat. The single most razor-sharp outing has to be Monitoring the Mind the instrumental chops inflict gashes rather than petty cuts. Still, fanatics of unpredictability will enjoy A Curative Struggle for its mellow differentiation, which is indeed juxtaposed with kickass brutality. On a similar note, Chamber of Guardians boasts a full minute of softness prior to leaping headfirst into the fray, while the mechanized feel of Caricature is not as unexpected as the acoustic guitar interlude found in Axioms. Contrary to what you may think, though, theres a boatload of melody in each and every one of these tracks, sans the intro Introspect, plus the guest contributions from respective members of Despised Icon, Misery Index, Augury, and Nefastus Dies add another dimension to an already 3D record.
All in all, a 35-minute album from any band on Willowtip has almost always fared well in my experience. Neuraxiss Trilateral Progression is no different, but is different in the sense that this brand of technical, brutal death metal can be riveting without succumbing to the viruses that riddle the subgenre such as monotonous blasting, lack of tempo variation, and close-mindedness in regards to experimentation. Concerning this style only, Canada is essentially operating a monopoly, and Neuraxis are one reason the countrys done so well. If their music werent so good, then we wouldve moved on by now.
8/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Neuraxis Website
Official Willowtip Records Website