STOMB: Massive Disturbed Meta Art (PROGRESSIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

The Parisians of Stömb are back with a third album combining technical Metal and atmospheric layers. The title of the album "Massive Disturbed Meta Art" makes no ambiguity about what awaits us, the initials MDMA being the chemical compound of ecstasy. This is not, however, an apology for the drug, but rather a highlighting of the altered states of consciousness and associated achievements that psychotropic drugs can create.

The very first notes of the album remind us of the introduction of Opeth's 'Ghost Of Perdition', whose influence will be felt again later, but it is above all that of Meshuggah that envelops us throughout the tracks. If the spirit of Tool isn't far away either, that of their French compatriots Gojira or Klone is quite coherent with Stömb's recent signing to Klonosphere.

The album opens with the risky but original combination of Laure Le Prunenec's (Igorrr/Öxxö Xööx/Rïcïnn) high-pitched vocals and dynamic guitars. Stömb's recipe doesn't really leave room for vocals, the accompaniment doesn't last even if we could have believed it for a moment with the Mongolian vocals that follow on 'Sidereal Lucid Dreamer'. The listener also comes across a saxophone on 'Meta Art', an instrument that seems to be making its mark in the metal world after its use by Klone on 'Meanwhile' and Periphery on 'Djent Is Not A Genre'. The track that stands out the most is perhaps 'The Extantrasy' because, if it will comfort Meshuggah fans (except for those who listen to the Swedes for Jens Kidman's growl), the contribution of a singular electronic music for the proposed genre gives it its own identity.

Technically everything is in place, but if the guitars grace us with a small solo at the beginning of the album on 'Realm Of Delirium', we'll have to wait until the very end of the album with 'Transcendance' to get another one coming from the excellent Quentin Godet (Ten56/Kadinja) invited for the occasion. Too much economy on the soli borders on stinginess, but this is undoubtedly for the sake of concentration, as the band doesn't want to dilute its style. Finally, note that it will take you more than an hour to swallow the album in its entirety, which may seem long for instrumental djent. - Official website

STOMB

MASSIVE DISTURBED META ART

KLONOSPHERE

PROGRESSIVE METAL