Alchemist - Austral Alien (Relapse)
Marcel www.silentstagnation.de

Heaviness and atmosphere are two attributes that fit perfectly to "Austral Alien" because Alchemist combines brutal metal with progressive and experimental sounds like no other band! The first song called "First Contact" is the right introduction to such an album, hard-hitting drum and bass work and the atmospherically singing takes you on a journey to outer space! The following tracks are even more experimental and Alchemist show their real progressive side with rocking melodies and a lot electronically interludes. Extraordinary is the guitar work because they create their unique mood with this awesome guitar and electronical sounds. In those moments I must think of Cave In and if you left out the singing they are often sounding like them. But Alchemist have a very unique sound that ranges between rock, atmosphere and metal. The vocals are a mixture of harmonic singing and rough shouting. In the end I must say that the album is very good but more songs in the vein of "First Contact" would make this album even better but if you like progressive metal Alchemist should be your choice to discover something you've never heard before!
11 tracks / 46:22 4.2 / 6 stars

Marcel
www.silentstagnation.de