Reviews list for Astronoid - Astronoid (2019)

So here’s something I didn’t expect. A new album by a band which I have only ever heard from in passing. And I actually enjoyed what I heard. That’s not the surprising part; anybody who knows me knows how much I enjoy my post-metal. The surprising part is how big this group has gotten since their 2016 album Air. This new self titled album is receiving massive critical acclaim alongside the fanbase. So I decided to check it out and see if it holds up to that surprising 2016 debut.

And I’m here to tell you that it certainly does. This is the sort of new fresh take on post-metal that the genre has desperately needed. A knack for melodic songwriting, mixed in with some very stellar clean singing and a towering performance behind the drum kit.

So why don’t I like this more? Well I think that question can be narrowed down into three main parts, which we will get into as they become significant, but let’s start by talking about that songwriting. Many of these tunes have very simple melodies that are usually carried by the lead vocalist, but always have a countermelody, usually played by the tremolo picking lead guitar. And those countermelodies are typically more interesting than the vocalist. Take the opening track “A New Color”, where the vocals sound like they are being forced into the back of the mix. It allows for those sweet melodies and solo to really be heard and admired, same goes for “Fault”. Guitar solos are very few and far between on this album, but when they happen they sound beautiful.

Also on the subject of songwriting, I really love how Astronoid is able to incorporate other metal genres into their brand of atmospheric post-metal, such as the guitar melodies that borrow from progressive metal bands like Periphery on “Breathe”, or the straight up thrash metal elements on “I Dream In Lines” and “I Wish I Was There While the Sun Set”.

And that brings me to my first big problem: the incorporation of those ideas are flimsy. Yes, Astronoid have developed their own sound and I am okay with that, but when you have tracks like “Lost” or “Beyond the Scope”, that attempt to create a hybrid sound in the first half and then return back to the tried and true formula of Air. Many of these ideas just feel aborted for the dreamy atmosphere, it feels like a letdown. It’s the problem that I have with a lot of bands going the way of Imagine Dragons; don’t pull any punches!

Which leads me to my second issue with this record, the use of dynamics. And the fact is that there really aren’t that many at all. Most of these tracks are brooding heavy tracks with all instruments playing at all times to leave the listener in a dream trance, which it certainly does do that, but maybe having a quieter section here and there would make those thunderous sections more worth it. There is some dynamic edge on a song like “Fault”, but as I mentioned before, those dynamics are left behind in the first half for that atmospheric vibe. One of the better tracks on the album is “Ideal World”, as it is more involved than anything else and really requires the listeners attention.

My final big issue with this record is the lyrical content. Mainly that there really isn’t anything to say about it. The lyrics are very minimal and spoken in broken sentences or phrases, which leaves me with very little to compliment. How can I appreciate your lyrical themes if they are pushed to the back of the mix so they can’t be heard anyway, and when I do find the lyrics, they don’t say anything at all? It’s really a letdown and pushes this album out of the territory of greatness.

So, while I do still like the album, there are some major issues with this record that need to be addressed in the future. Which beg the question: where does the band go from here? Seriously, I’m genuinely curious. Because a lot of atmospheric bands have to try something new in order to stay relevant without becoming the music that I use to help me sleep at night. Astronoid is fortunate to have melody in their back pocket and a great percussionist to keep them going for a while. If Astronoid wanted to create a straight up black metal track, they could do it, they just need to work at staying on track. And add in some more direct storytelling, maybe finding some outside help, and you would have a progressive metal band that could be a force to be reckoned with. I would bet money on this band being huge very soon.