Something needs to be done about prog metal. Seems like it's one of the least progressive subgenres of metal out there, despite the fact that some of the stalwarts such as Fates Warning continue to crank out pretty good stuff. Although it seems like - thankfully - the wave of bad Dream Theater ripoff bands mostly died with the end of the 20th century, it also seems like real innovation in the genre also died out around the same time. If there is a cutting edge in metal, it's not in prog metal.Naamah won't change that, but at least they're doing something a little different. Resensement isn't drastically innovative or fresh, but it's quirky enough to make it stand out from the pack. On first listen, the music here is standard prog-metal - mid-tempo, with a moderate guitar crunch, soaring vocals (female, in English), the occasional shredding solo, and the occasional heavy keys presence, all thrown together into fairly lengthy compositions. The aesthetic is one that any casual prog metal fan will be instantly familiar with, particularly those who enjoy groups like The Gathering (with whom Naamah has toured, I believe). Anna Panasz's vocals take a little getting used to - she has a strong, clear voice, but one that's a little lacking in range; and she also sings in slightly accented and under-enunciated English. The two bonus tracks in which she sings in Polish sound much better to these ears; but it didn't take me long to adjust to her style, although it still mars parts of these songs for me. The dual guitars alternate between crunching power chords and more intricate interplay in the quieter parts, but it's the keyboardist that really makes things interesting. He usually stays in the background, adding atmospheric embellishments, but sometimes comes forward to take the lead. A couple songs feature some almost jazzy piano playing, and one song is entirely dominated by his work - more on that one later.
In any case, most of the songs here have something that sets them apart a little: the first two tracks have slow sections with atmospheric keys and a neat, pseudo-King Crimson guitar style, for instance, which are much more interesting than the usual bland "slow sections" that many metal (not just prog metal) bands use just for the sake of a change of pace. "Not For You" introduces a seriously aggressive funk-bass element to the proceedings - it's present to some extent elsewhere, but on this track they crank it up to 11. "Alright" has pretty strong jazz/fusion inflections, particularly in the upbeat guitar and keys solos.
But it's the last track (minus the two bonus tracks) that takes the cake. "Daydream Part Two" comes as a complete shock; if the rest of the album is innovative but not totally fresh, this track is both. In fact, sans vocals, it sounds like something of a cross between Tangerine Dream and early Autechre. There's nary a guitar to be found - instead, we find ourselves in a jungle of electronic ambience and melody punctuated by programmed percussion. Even Panasz's vocals are electronically manipulated to sound less forward and less organic. Granted, sounding like Autechre circa Incunabula doesn't exactly put a band on the creative vanguard of electronic music, but it's really exciting to see a prog metal band incorporate these influences into their sound so effectively. Simply because it's something completely different, "Daydream Part Two" is easily the highlight of the album for me.
This is certainly not a perfect album - some of the compositions don't really justify their length, and Pannasz's English vocals get on my nerves here and there - but it's one of the more subtly innovative prog metal albums I've heard recently. Those who dislike the style won't have any reason to change their minds based on this one, but it's an easy recommendation to prog-metal fans.
review by Brandon Wu — 1-23-05 —
