Artist: Above Symmetry
Title: Ripples (re-issue)
Genre: Progressive Metal
Release Date: 25th April 2011
Label: Inside Out Music
Album Review
Some might recognize ABOVE SYMMETRY by the original name, ASPERA. Their debut album, ‘Ripples’, was independently released back in 2010, and now a year later is being released on a major label for better distribution. For those who are not familiar with this band, they perform progressive metal which actually falls more under progressive rock for the most part when listening to this album. Much of the music here is very melodic and softer without the rough “edge” that metal usually provides, especially when it comes to the vocals. The clean, soaring vocals are extremely harmonious and soft along the lines of BELIEVER and at other times rough like listening to POISONBLACK. Together, it is a great balance and complements the music well when listening to a track like ‘Between Black & White’, the album’s epic in length. Lots of times the music will take on a mid paced, thick chug interjected with melodic flairs of the guitar, and then interlude with some soft piano / keyboard bits that will sound very proggy, like DREAM THEATER, but at other times just perfect for the atmosphere of the music.
Other tracks like ‘Ripples’ make a greater use of the keyboards as a background instrument for a heavy, symphonic background. Along with the guitars when tend to perform more unanimously than in single formation, it draw more along a power metal formula, but at the heart of the track the music is more complex overall. ‘Torn Apart’ starts out slow and easy and then builds up for a dramatic explosion of a great metal ballad versus ‘Reflections’ which is very soft and ambient with the vocals using a vocoder for a dreamy effect and the acoustic guitar and piano playing off each other with the soft percussive tap in the background. This is one of the highlights of the album. Of course, the album has to close on a heavy note with ‘The Purpose’ which just hits hard and fast but mixes a great use of keyboard as piano and backing instrument to help build the chorus as a great anthem and epic sounding track, even though the track is not that epic. The guitars may sound a bit more rough than usual with how raw they sound during the solos, but do not detract from the prog metal feeling overall, especially when there is a moment of clarity with the synth just humming away.
‘Ripples’ as a re-released CD does not feature anything new for fans who already collected it under the band’s old name; this is mostly meant for new fans. However, those who have never heard these guys before will really appreciate ABOVE SYMMETRY for they sound like a mix between EVERGREY and KAMELOT. Some may wonder why the band sounds like they flow together so well with their music in collaboration, which is a mark of a great band. Maybe it is due to the fact that they all were born in the last quarter of 1989 and maybe it is because they spent so long collaborating on this album since the bands’ inception. But, one thing is clear: this is some pretty decent progressive metal.
Tracklist
01. Intro 1:31
02. Ripples 6:34
03. Do I Dare? 5:31
04. Remorse 6:22
05. Between Black & White 8:12
06. Catatonic Coma 5:45
07. Torn Apart 4:59
08. Traces Inside 7:51
09. Reflections 2:04
10. The Purpose 5:51
Line-up
Atle Pettersen – Vocals
Robin Ognedal – Guitars
Rein T. Blomquist – Bass
Joachim Strøm Ekelund – Drums
Nickolas Main Henriksen – Keyboards
Website
www.abovesymmetry.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.5 / 10
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