The Divided Line - Paramnesia album review

‘Paramnesia’ is defined as a distortion of memory that confuses fact and fantasy – or in other words, déjà vu. It’s an apt name for the debut six-tracker from these Toronto prog-rockers who tip their cap very obviously to Tool, Deftones and Pearl Jam. It makes for an interesting canvas to work from, but if there’s a criticism, it’s that Paramnesia is front-loaded. By the time it draws to a close, its driving, metronomic pulse has become leaden, more slog than groove. Luckily, the earlier tracks are promising. Breathe, Dimensional and Phylliidae are choppy and propulsive, changing direction at a moment’s notice while frontman Greg Cave glowers on penetrating melodies amid metallic riffs and imposing bass. Drawing from a disparate mix of influences, The Divided Line have succeeded in carving a sound that’s knotty, intense and brooding.