Rather than withering away under the bright light of an increasingly creative progressive scene, the djent movement has instead suddenly grown extra appendages and been given new reasons to exist.
Last year we were treated to TesseracT’s exceptional album Altered State and were staggered by the news of a SikTh reunion. And now in 2014 djent forefather John Browne has reunited his own troupe, complete with new vocalist Chris Barretto, for The Amanuensis. It’s an album filled with all the stylistic tics fans have come to expect, its clipped riffs sharpened to a point by deft production, and the guitar work syncopated and swirling. It’s an expressive work of art that speaks of an absolute love for the instrument’s capabilities.
In eschewing passages of grandiose atmospheres and embracing a more direct approach, Barretto’s vocals prove themselves up to the most rigorous of tests – keeping pace with Browne’s virtuoso guitar playing. At points the album might seem gimmicky, stuttering structurally on the coiffed, sleek Atlas and the oddball opening to Saga City, but these moments also show how willing Monuments are to stretch the djent template.
Via Century Media
