Album Review: Strata

Via Kaleidoscope. An Ōtautahi 4 piece that has been helping to set new standards in instrumental progressive metal since 2014 when their debut album – The Branches Extend To Grasp Safety catapulted into the stratosphere.

Now you might be thinking that instrumental prog metal is a dime a dozen with bands like Mothra, Echolypse and Keretta having already been nestled in the scene for some years, and in some ways, you’re right, but also, isn’t it awesome that NZ has a ton to choose from?

Now, it’s been a minute since Via Kaleidoscope had released their debut, but that really doesn’t matter. What does matter is they’re still making music, and if their new album, Strata is anything to go by, it’s quite the return.

Six tracks of absolute unforgiving riffs, in your face tempos and some hard hitting percussion makes for a devastatingly great return. This is the stuff live shows crave and why instrumental (prog metal especially) goes so hard live.

Existence In… has that familiar so quiet you can barely hear it opening. A few notes play out on keyboard; a gentle guitar strum follows in conjunction and from there an undeniable change in temperature that you know is going to build to something really good. Once those drums kick in and the riffs increase, getting faster and faster, well you’re in it now. Incredibly impactful for an opener that then leads into next track (and recent single) Oscillations. The riffs just keep on giving, but it’s not so aggressive you can’t hear straight. Plenty of tempo changes that keep things interesting and moving along at a pace that’s easy for your ears to keep up with.

If you’re wanting to know what Strata’s point of difference is, it would be a track like Blackbird. Technically unique and interesting in a furiously calm way. Again, it’s another impactful track that has a nice pace to it. It moves quick, but not so fast you can’t keep up. And that plinking guitar riff intro is a nice touch too.

I could go on, I really could, but rather than experiencing Strata through words, the only way is through your ears, so go on. It’s a solid and tight album that has many layers created exceptionally well.