ALBUM REVIEW: Search Party – Interloper
With a resume spanning the likes of RINGS OF SATURN, ÆNIMUS, ABIOTIC and VAMPIRE SQUID, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Search Party, the debut offering from progressive metallers INTERLOPER, would be a blistering affair of ultra technical riffing and copious amounts of shred. However, Search Party proves to be a much more inventive, adventurous and expansive listen than one may have initially assumed.
The band may be know for their more bombastic and tech shredding adventures in the aforementioned names, but Search Party is a much more balanced affair with a huge emphasis on melody that works a treat. The balance between more typically heavy elements and grandiose prog is dispatched expertly well and it makes the record nothing short of being a joy to listen to.
Album opener Pathkeeper is nothing short of a bonafide anthem, especially the chorus, that gives the first glimpse into the textured and dynamic shape of INTERLOPER. Moonlight displays some exemplary lead work whilst Andrew Virrueta boasts some seriously impressive pipes as his pitch is practically perfect throughout the song’s runtime and The Wishing Well‘s playful progressive bounce and frantic drumming from Aaron Stechauner helps the album inject a fresh dose of adrenaline into the album’s second half. Even the cover of DURAN DURAN‘s classic hit Rio could be seen as questionable on paper, the band execute the cover with the utmost conviction and their rendition of the track is nothing short of emphatic, making it a fine way indeed to close out the record.
After listen upon listen, the dynamics and organic nature of the INTERLOPER sound becomes crystal clear. This is truly a special band. Layer upon layer of musical experimentation, vibes and structure keep the listener on their toes and with so many surprises lying at every turn, it’s an utter joy. Drift aligns itself to more traditional technical death metal territory with bombastic riffing and a gut-punching vocal display from Virrueta whilst still serenading with soaring cleans throughout, the title-track is a glorious prog rock anthem with plenty of technical guitar play and soaring vocal work and could sit comfortably on a RUSH record, and Baring Teeth owns up to its name with a pummelling rendition of some seriously impressive progressive-leaning death metal.
INTERLOPER have created one hell of a mighty debut with Search Party. With an abundance of musical experimentation, a range of dynamic moods and tones and enough hooks and memorability to remain in your conscious long after its conclusion, this is a special record. This is the definition of progressive metal in the modern age and if this is the quality on offer on their first attempt, the future is going to be very bright for the band indeed.
Rating: 9/10
Search Party is set for release June 11th via Nuclear Blast Records.
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