Review Summary: Still headache inducing prog metal, but with a bit more rhythm and flow this time.
If you didn't catch my last review on Gestalt, Bisbaye is an extreme prog metal band from Montreal, Quebec.
Bisbaye continue their journey to pummel the listeners ear while still trying to make it a solid song. The big difference between this album and their previous, is again, them leaning a bit more into rhythm oriented songs. But don't let that description fool you, this album still is very heavy and complex. The experimentation in this album can greatly enhance the album but also in a case greatly dehance it. The opener, Énergie Indestructible, is more in tune with what they've done before, with the heavy bass taking more of a stance. Things start picking up by the third track, Sur l'Isolement et la Désolation. In this track it's not only a neat transition from Continuum, it also takes a minute to get it's footing. Manic ping ponging with a rumbling bass goes on until the minute mark. The song goes through a lot of transitions into more melodies, so I’ll try my best to describe it without spoiling the entire song. It goes from heavy to more slow melodies, while still ping ponging. While this album is not as intense as Gestalt, it's better that they take it a bit slower. The instance where this experimentation does not so well is As Above, So Below. This song is a 10 minute experiment where all of the guitarists ping pong the entire time. It has no discernible structure, and goes on for way too long. In fact, when I listen to this album I zone out when this song comes up. As Above, So Below is the song that doesn't make this album a 4.5. Goes for too long, has no aim, and while it's good on paper, by itself in practice is boring and repetitive. But this album immediately bounces back with one of Bisbaye’s best songs, Diachronie du Psychoïde. It's heavy, carefully crafted, and the ping ponging is done with very clear rhythm and intention. It's almost the exact opposite of the previous track, and it's a more fleshed out version of Sur l'Isolement et la Désolation. The closer, Et Moriemur, is more similar to the beginning to the album, focusing more on heavy riffs and quickly changing melodies with fast ping ponging.
Final thoughts: The best of both sounds when it comes to this band, for the most part. Heavy, complex, rhythmic, but also has 10 minutes of essentially dead air. Basically skip As Above, So Below and you have an easy 4.5.
Recommended Tracks: Sur l'Isolement et la Désolation, Diachronie du Psychoïde, Et Moriemur.
