Ladies and gentlemen, meet Earthside, an instrumental prog rock band hailing from New Haven, CT. Whereas much of the instrumental metal that exists these days is basically trying to rip off Animals As Leaders, Earthside opts for a different approach that puts more emphasis on songwriting and composition as opposed to showmanship and shred. Their style is more like an instrumental version of bands such as Opeth and Katatonia, which probably has a lot to do with the fact that they travelled to Stockholm, Sweden to work with renowned producers David Castillo and Jens Bogren, who recorded their debut album, A Dream in Static.
They've released the first cut from the album, entitled "The Closest I've Come," and it's quite epic in its scale. The band describes themselves as a "cinematic rock" band, which seems an appropriate moniker while listening to this song. Not only does it invoke a dream-like soundscape, the musicianship on display from the band is extremely impressive. These guys are playing a style of music that's very popular within the current metal scene, and I appreciate their different approach to a genre that's frankly becoming rather boring.
Give "The Closest I've Come" a spin below, and let us know what you think about Earthside in the comments!
