Genre : Instrumental progressive metal
Released : May 12th, 2023
Label : Self-release
FFO : Animals As Leaders, Pomegranate Tiger, Night Verses, Plini, Tesseract, Vildhjarta,
The Surrealist, Modern Day Babylon, Veil Of Maya
Instrumental progressive metal can be hard to get right; either it becomes so hyper-focused on technicality that it looses substance and alienates the listener, or since there is an already extensive pre-existing back catalogue where household names of the genre have solidified the blueprints for what makes both engaging and innovative instrumental prog metal, it can be challenging to bring something new to the table that stands out from what has already been done before.
Austrian duo Their Dogs Were Astronauts though are unsung heroes in my opinion when it comes to writing some of the most creative and refreshing instrumental prog metal out there in recent years, and their latest album "Momentum" consolidates that claim even further.
I had my mind blown multiple times during my first listen through "Momentum" due to how unexpected, cleverly written and incorporated into the song's structures the stylistical twists and turns all are.
Their Dogs Were Astronauts had already developed quite the knack for constantly throwing stylistic curveballs within their previous works (which I highly recommend if you haven't had the pleasure yet) and "Momentum" clearly demonstrates that the two brothers Denis and Leonard Roth still have plenty of tricks up their sleeves while the songwriting ideas, execution and production (mixed by the band and mastered by Tesseract's very own Ackle Kahney!) keep getting better and better.
Although they already had a fair share of heaviness in their past albums, "Momentum" seems to not only double down on the genre-mashing but the heaviness as well, which opener "Panopticon" showcases right from the start, up until the album's closing title-track.
There's so much great usage of layering and unconventional approach to the guitar's fretboard in order to create incredibly unique prog metal soundscapes while still keeping in touch with the fundamental features of prog and djent so as to not completely loose listeners along the way, leaving just enough room for familiarity...Until the tables are flipped and an otherwise previously djent (even thall) oriented song such as "Equivocator" turns into a menacing, sub-bass heavy afrobeat section whom itself gets amalgamated with Spanish flamenco, complete with the use of castanets, before a synth part joins in and blastbeats explode out of thin air until eventually the track finally settles for a downbeat, hulking outro.
If that sounded like quite the mouthful and a lot to process, well, this is merely one specific instance of what you can expect if you dare to explore the shape-shifting landscapes of "Momentum" to uncover its riches.
I could keep describing all the crazy switch-ups that consistently surprised me and left me in awe of what I'd just heard track-by-track, but I genuinely don't want to ruin the surprises this album has in store for you, dear reader, if you haven't checked it out yet and my little write-up prompts you to, since I believe that element of surprise is amongst the album's biggest strengths.
Last year, it was Animals As Leaders's "Parrhesia" that rekindled my love for instrumental prog metal and this year, Their Dogs Were Astronauts are keeping that "Momentum" (see what I did there? Hilarious innit) alive with the satisfying sense of awe and sheer enjoyment of technically complex music this album is able to convey.
I still haven't checked out the new Night Verses album whom they too, I consider to be among the most exciting instrumental prog metal acts to have a unique flair, but I feel very confident in saying that "Momentum" is one of the finest crafted and most thrilling albums in its genre this year (perhaps even in recent years altogether), and it truly demonstrates how much more of the progressive metal spotlight Their Dogs Were Astronauts are deserving of.