ALBUM REVIEW: Terraformer – Thank You Scientist

Given the scope and scale of their previous releases, it is fair to say that THANK YOU SCIENTIST are no strangers to writing elaborate albums, arrangements that are epic in size and teeming with musical engineering, geared to baffle and amaze. Their eclectic take on contemporary prog-rock has proven to be a natural head-turner, and with the New Jersey septet now on the brink of releasing their most audacious record to date, their cross-hairs are focused firmly on reaching the upper echelons of progressive music. Already well known for their incredible detail and an eccentric, eyebrow-raising playing style, Terraformer is a staggering opus, clocking in at over 84-minutes and spanning a throng of sonic territory.

The record is the second to be released through Evil Ink – the record company owned by COHEED AND CAMBRIA front-man Claudio Sanchez – and embodies the emphatic personality associated with such a label. From the second that Wrinkle commences affairs, it is apparent that quality was sat right at the top of the priority list. Violin, trumpet and elegant bass work combine to create instrumental foundations, immediately setting a precedent and whetting our appetite for whatever lunacy is set to come next. By the time FXMLDR kicks in, we are fully engaged. In what is the first of eight tracks to weigh in at over 8-minutes, a wide range of instrumentation continues to flow in free-form, stepping away from conventional structure and intertwining to build a cacophony of hallucinatory ruckus. The saccharine vocals of Salvatore Marrano also enter the fray, offering smooth relief that croons above the mix and effectuates truly immersive melody.

Swarm is just as impressive, sparking war between brass and the mesmerising guitar-work of Tom Monda, who is quickly rising to become one of the best players in modern prog. His intrinsic ability is one thing, but the way in which he compliments the bigger picture is simply genius. Swarm sees him display a dazzling solo, and takes a progressive metal edge, all the while plunging sporadically into jazzy rock. Few bands can claim the same level of intricacy as this. Perhaps THE MARS VOLTA could throw their hat into the same ring, but generally speaking, this is about as exquisite as it gets. This kind of ambition can oft bring its own problems, sometimes leading to albums feeling messy and overproduced, but as they prove in tracks like Son Of A Serpent, THANK YOU SCIENTIST have employed every single note with pristine enunciation.

As they leap between precarious jazz fusion and meandering solos like musical parkour, we’re left reeling in a white-wash of flawless intrigue. Simply put, it’s beautiful chaos. Birdwatching does offer a slight lull from the madness, instead rendering an escape into a more sedate side of the bands repertoire. The vocals float hauntingly, shivering above exuberant guitar and idyllic drum-work. As we bridge into Everyday Ghosts, the quick pace returns with renewed vigour. A calamitous intro fades into a plethora of cryptic passages, proving to be a skillful labyrinth, executed with charming flair. Supersonic fretwork lights the track on fire, and Joe Fadem continues to match the formidable quality from behind the drums.

This funky nature is morphed into a more jazzy sound through Chromology, a track which seems like an outlet for the musicianship to become even more whimsical. It is perhaps the brass players that shine the most here, letting loose and brewing a storm of animation. Geronimo starts slower, before building into yet another dazzling example of the hectic THANK YOU SCIENTIST formula. Following this, Life Of Vermin is of a similar ilk, hurting through droves of thick-layered riffs and lavish solos, before resulting in the interludial jazz track, Shatner’s Lament. Seeing the album into it’s final quarter, the stage is set for Anchor and New Moon to continue landing us in a hypnotic daze.

After having already digested well over an hour’s worth of content by the time we reach the title track, it is difficult to take in the sheer scale of an album like Terraformer. Accounting not just for the length, but also the density of the music itself, THANK YOU SCIENTIST have concocted an album with the potential to not only push them into the stratosphere of progressive music, but in doing so they have set the bar sky high for their peers. Albums of this magnitude are extremely rare, and when they do come along they offer us a glimpse at a skill level most bands could only ever aspire to. From the enchanting, surrealist cover artwork through to the almost unfathomable depth of the music, THANK YOU SCIENTIST have composed a talking point that will sit on the lips of generations to come, and act as a shining example of how utterly intoxicating music can be at its very best.

Rating: 10/10

Terraformer is set for release June 14th via Evil Ink. 

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