Album Review : Between the Buried and Me: The Prallax II: Future Sequence

Progressive metal quintet Between the Buried and Me make their mark on the metal scene once again with their 7th studio album that is as beautifully intricate and whimsical as it is aggressive. A conceptual piece, Parallax II is centered around a deep space voyage and explores the perils and moral issues of extraterrestrial conquest. The album opens with the calming chimes and acoustics of "Goodbye to Everything", which conveys the nostalgic wonder and allure of space travel. It soon transitions into the ascending melodies of "Astral Body", which sets the stage for the intensity to come. By incorporating a myriad of instruments and sporadically arranged time measures, each song is in no way predictable. Take the track "Extremophile Elite" for example, which about midway through abruptly switches from a boisterous, drum-heavy buildup to a xylophone/tuba/violin piece that sounds like it was taken right out of a Tom and Jerry chase scene. From harmonious falsettos to traditional guttural screams, frontman Tommy Giles Rogers, Jr. exhibits vocal variability as well, which is most observable on the transition from "The Black Box" to "Telos." The interludes "Autumn" and Parallax" provide temporary breaks from the overwhelming power of the album, and also assist thematically by attempting to place the listener in the middle of the epic interstellar saga. That being said, Parallax II can be a bit overwhelming at times, especially if you're only a casual metal fan. The sheer complexity makes it that much more difficult to digest as a listener. From a technical standpoint however, this contemporary rock opera is an enticing work of significant musical intellect. BTBAM go all out to show why they are masters of this avant-garde subgenre that has emerged from the raging inferno of heavy metal.