Welcome the return of The Thinking Man! Every Thursday I’ll bring you the latest that the underground has to offer in the world of progressive metal. There will be all different kinds of bands each week that are creating captivating and unique work, so without further ado, let’s talk about some music!
For this week's entry, we have the new album from India’s Noiseware, Clouds At Last. Presenting a cosmic atmosphere, crisp production, and a range in clean and growling vocals, Noiseware find a way to make metal sound pretty (while still keeping plenty of their material brutal as hell). Thanks to the band’s terrific use in transitions and various sounds, they are able to provide listeners plenty of surprises throughout Clouds At Last.
“Solar” rides in on a djent rhythm, the sonic tone leading into robust clean vocals. Dropping into deeper growls at times, the guitar keeps the song primarily wrapped in a luminous aura; it’s only towards the end where the track breaks into a more aggressive flow, the guitar and drums picking up in tempo alongside rich growls.
“Within Dreams” takes on a more sporadic approach in its instrumentation, the guitars and drums shooting about in jagged patterns. It’s an enticing introduction, the vocal work taking on more of a direct approach in the beginning. Unlike the previous track, there’s a lot more adrenaline at work thanks to the heavier beats in the drums, along with the more vigorous flow and structure coming from the guitars and bass.
“Vortex” amps up the speed even more, the vocals spitting out almost like a rap. The djent sounds heard in previous songs is much stronger here, presenting an all-out beat down. Specific sections offer an airy instrumental component that sparkles, playing in contrast to the overall darker sound. “Paraflight” takes the complete opposite approach, starting things off on a gentle note. The cleaning singing is both elegant and forceful, keeping things right on the edge for when the material finally bursts into the aggressive sections.
One moment things are all dreamy, and the next minute there comes a hectic ride that’s pure djent and chaos. The balance of styles is never predictable, for the band provide songs of stellar quality, keeping listeners excited for what is to come next. You can stream Clouds At Last below, and find Noiseware via Facebook. Let us know in the comments your thoughts on the record, and thanks for tuning into The Thinking Man!
