Who said that progressive metal was reserved for serious musicians? Certainly not Tranzat. After a first self-produced album ("Hellish Psychedelia" - 2016), the quartet is now a member of the Black Desert label (El Royce, Enlightened...) and comes back with a new discographic offering entitled "The Great Disaster" for which they still show a totally crazy approach of their art. Whether it be in the visuals, the lyrics or the acknowledgements in the booklet of his new opus, the band once again takes the risk of being taken for a simple band of jokers without his artistic qualities proving themselves.
Yet, one only has to listen to this new album to have further proof that 'not taking oneself seriously' does not mean 'not doing things seriously'. Tranzat's new album features a spatial, atmospheric introduction ('Prelude'), a heavy, melodic instrumental ('... And Beyond') and five big blocks that happily exceed 7 minutes, with the eponymous piece even flirting with the 17 minutes. Yet, don't expect (or fear) to have to face convoluted structures and hyper-technical shots. The progressive approach developed by the quartet rather translates into the cohabitation of different atmospheres but towards which the members of the group gradually make us evolve. 'Nothing But Dust' thus progresses from a heavy atmospheric to a devastating power metal, passing by an instrumental bridge on which the tempo slows down, or by a part worthy of black metal with its screams and blast beats, all this before getting lost in the interstellar space.
The whole art of the band lies in this ability to make elements that might seem incompatible cohabit, and this without it being shocking at any time. From a slow and massive introduction to a crazy finale, passing through doom or black within the same track ('Hopeless Skies'), or starting from a psychedelic opening evolving towards sludge before the curtain tears on a luminous, instrumental and quirky second part ('Cosmic Island'), each track captivates as well as it hypnotizes. Imagine a marriage between the space progressive metal of Pagan's Mind, the power of Pantera and the delirium of Ultra Vomit and you'll start to get an idea of what Tranzat can offer on "The Great Disaster". Listen to the 'To Infinity...'/'... And Beyond' sequence that summons Toy Story hero Buzz Lightning (whose rallying cry happens to be "To Infinity... and Beyond"), amidst atmospheric heavy, raging screams, melancholy, Hispanic acoustic guitars and cinematic passages, and you'll begin to understand what the world of Tranzat.
Behind their rough-hewn appearance, the quartet reveals itself to be a beautiful line-up of talented and inventive musicians. With "The Great Disaster", Tranzat skillfully combines power and delirium, instrumental mastery and second degree, rage and laughter, within a flawless ensemble that doesn't take itself seriously. It is therefore high time that metal lovers, whether progressive or not, turn to this album in which they will find ingredients they know but whose binder only belongs to its progenitors.