Uneveness

This is chuggy, groovy progressive metal. I suppose it probably qualifies as melodic death/black metal, though the melodic content is limited. There's a definite experimental/progressive influence. Unfortunately, it's a weak cup of tea. I didn't hear much that's new or unique here.

One disappointment is that the guitars tend to focus mostly on carrying the rhythm, and in many songs there's little melody. The rhythms are a jerky, start-stop, on-off affair. True to the progressive nature of the album, we've got tempo changes galore, and brief dramatic pauses in the middle of the songs. One gets the impression that the band never walks in a straight line: instead, they follow strange, twisty paths that make unexpected right-angle turns at the drop of a hat.

For me another major disappointment is that the drummer relies heavily on blast beats and the moral equivalent throughout the album. I should disclose that I'm no fan of blast beats; I find them a lazy man's way to heighten the intensity of the music. So, others might well have a different opinion about this aspect of the band.

One exception is the instrumental song "Believe", a reasonably sweet melodic tune done on acoustic guitar. There is also a brief piano interlude on the title track, "Unevenness". Unfortunately, these short pieces just leave me wanting more, and highlight the lack of melody or beauty on the rest of the album. They don't make up for the flaws of the rest of the album.

The vocals are pretty much par for the melodic death genre: rough, gruff stuff. Nothing especially noteworthy, but neither do they get in the way. As a result, I found the vocals to be the least offensive part of the album.

Favorite song: Well, none, really. Apart from "Believe" (which is really there for contrast, I think), the least objectionable song was "Consciences" -- it makes an attempt at melody and catchy riffs, in amongst the progressive/technical playing.

Overall, I found the album uninventive and not much fun to listen to. Others may have a different experience. Perhaps fans of, say, Nevermore might enjoy the album more? I suspect those who will like this album, will know who they are. But it's not my thing. I don't expect to be playing this album much in the future.