ALBUM REVIEW: Unity In Time – Schemata Theory
Post-hardcore collective SCHEMATA THEORY are back with a vengeance; unifying crushing breakdowns with reflective soundscapes, Unity in Time is a whirlwind of socially-conscious ferocity. The release comes a decade after 2012 debut Dry Lung Rhetoric, and in those ten years it is dazzlingly clear that SCHEMATA THEORY have truly fine-tuned their craft. Touching on themes of technological, environmental and societal division, Unity in Time is an album that feels sonically and thematically razor-sharp.
Voices perfectly encapsulates everything SCHEMATA THEORY stand for – exploring the importance of our individual voice, and how vital it can be to speak up on important issues. Leading on from the gentle intro track As Clouds Gather, Voices immediately asserts itself as an anthemic burst of charged vocals and thundering drums. And this ability to pair such vital messages with invigorating instrumentals is exactly where SCHEMATA THEORY shine: where language may fail, a killer breakdown always helps get the point across.
Pained vocals truly heighten the tension of each topic tackled. New Vision is a cutting burst of emotion, with a charged, physically taxing drumbeat and absolutely gruelling growls from vocalist Myles Dyer. As the track reflects on how “life can hurt so much more than death!”, you can’t help but feel the message of perseverance in your gut. Prism’s unclean growls also rumble deep within you, the harsh vocals emphasising those dark, low instrumentals. The overall effect is very reminiscent of ENTER SHIKARI in their Take To The Skies era – sharp, evocative words delivered with total conviction.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing tracks is Our Only World – a track exploring how we need to take a step back and re-assess how we are treating the environment. The track contrasts DEFTONES-esque echoing vocals with hectic drums and raw screams – the emotional stand-out coming in the form of a guttural cry of “what about our children!?”.
Overall, empathy seems to be SCHEMATA THEORY’s key to reaching a sense of global unity. Interlude track Vantage Point embodies this idea – the importance of empathy, of understanding humanity and the world we live upon in order to join together in unity. The track is a compilation of clips, carefully selected to unify the voices of people of all ages, races and walks of life. We can also see this longing for empathy dominating tracks like Mirrors and closing track Horror Show – both delivering hard-hitting, nuanced take-downs of modern day apathy. Horror Show also closes on a note of reflection, stripping back instrumentals in favour of a simple, poignant send-off.
Unity In Time is a cohesive dose of much-needed reflection; every word packs a punch. Certain tracks do feel more rough than others, but the ambition and vision is clear. SCHEMATA THEORY are here to deliver a poignant message at a crucial time: the world needs to shift gear and work towards a sense of unity before time runs out.
Rating: 7/10
Unity In Time is out now via self-release.
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