The Contortionist: Intrinsic

Tech-metal adventurers put the ‘maze’ in ‘amaze’

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This fantastically unpredictable second album adds weight to the band’s status as one of the more interesting proponents of high-level technicality.

Complex time signatures and ambient calm switches to death metal roar, and you’re never sure quite what’s coming next. Perhaps that’s why, while it might take a little effort on the part of the listener, Intrinsic is so rewarding and enjoyable.

Unsettling it might be, but there’s no denying the strength of ideas and intriguing mood shifts that focus the mind.