Review by Shadowdoom9 (Andi) for Alase - A Matter of Time (2023)

There was one song from this album that I discovered via a YouTube ad that made me up to checking out this band's material, which we'll get to later in the review. I decided to check out their debut album Vastaus before getting to this album. It was decently good, but there were a few odd aspects, to me anyway, one of them being Finnish lyrics. After that, I knew I would have to go their second album that includes the main reason for my discovery of this band. It was only A MATTER OF TIME...

Alase is a Finnish post-/progressive metal band. They blend different styles in atmospheric melody, even beyond what's conventional in metal. A Matter of Time is a pretty good 9-song journey, and the English lyrics make things more understandable.

First song "Understanding the Waves" starts in soft light before the heavy darkness. The music and vocals seem to connect differently from one another. "Clear Sky is Not a Curse" has slow atmosphere despite its short length. The clean leads in the middle have good weight. There are nice harmonic vocals, but again, it's not music-connected. "Fate's Intervention" is heavier with harsh vocals, almost like they're blending Katatonia's recent material with Brave Murder Day. They shine against those parallel cleans.

"Unburden" has better consistency, but it seems like any excitement is out of reach. The atmosphere really could've had a greater approach. However, "Life Ahead" has a nice developing charm. "The Source" is the song that made me up to checking out this band. Atmospheric bass and vocals lead to a well-done blend of heavy and ethereal.

"Out of Place" takes on a darker tone. Sadly, the direction is, like the title suggests, out of place. Some sections can be a bit confusing. "Feeling Free" is short with consistent melody. Despite being a soft ballad, it's quite favorable. "Ajan Kysymys" is a heavier closing track. It's basically the album's title track as it's the title in Finnish. Bass, leads, and vocals are all in a nice blend. It's a very cohesive song and my second favorite here behind "The Source".

All in all, A Matter of Time is good but in need of some improvement. This atmospheric progressive metal sound is quite nice. While the vocals have diverse variety, they should've connected better with the music. No matter the band's intentions, anyone should experience this ethereal melody....

Favorites: "Fate's Intervention", "The Source", "Feeling Free", "Ajan Kysymys"