POLYPTYCH is a Progressive Death Metal band hailing from Chicago, and they were formed in the year 2008. The original idea for the band was that it would only be a studio project and not a full time live band. The band released their debut full-length studio album "Panels Engraved" in the year 2012 and followed that up with their sophomore effort entitled "Illusorium" in the year 2014.During the making of their second album, the band decided to become a full live act and retain its members on a permanent basis. The band started out as a straight forward Death Metal sound before starting to experiment with progressive melodies. On their latest album the band have tried to address and talk about issues like totalitarianism and how people cope with institutions that are oppressive. The band claim to have been influenced by a varied number of artists like KING DIAMOND, DEATHSPELL OMEGA , BIORK and MARS VOLTA to name a few.

The album erupts into life with "Silent Discord", a track just over 3 minutes in runtime and it is a tight song with intense drumming. The progressive nature of the band is evident in the song and the song has sudden change in tempo and direction in this instrumental track." Windswept Fragments" is a short track just over two minutes and it has an almost Black Metal start before chaotic timed melodies veer it more into Progressive Metal territory. This track has some doom laden riffs and some killer bass guitar work. The gravelly vocal add a somber atmosphere to the track but fails to save it from mediocrity. "Lexicon Of Oppression" begins off explosively enough with frantic double bass drum action and accompanied by guttural vocals. The track is punctuated by chaotic riffs that change direction almost at will." Coalescence" starts off with a slow lumbering riff and the angst filled vocals fit the song well. This is the standout track in the album for me. Halfway through the song, the tempo speeds up considerably and what started out as a doom laden song quickly becomes an angry anthem." Triumph Of The Swine" is one of the longer songs on the album and it switches from rapid Thrash Metal-esque riffs to Blackened Death Metal melodies. At around the 3 minute mark, there is an acoustic section before the song kicks off into gear with a crushing riff.

Frank Lato and Scott Skopec did most of the writing on the album and the band spent about 11 days recording the album with producer Andy Nelson. "Defying The Metastasis" is inventive and the band have short changed the fans with brutal riffs and chugging hooks. There are tracks on the album that are filled with doom as well as short passages of rapid guitar riffs. The drumming shores up the album well and keeps pace with the melodies. This is a blend of different styles of Metal and the band indeed makes it a heady cocktail of heaviness. The vocals and the musicianship on this album are accomplished and the only time I felt a little let down was when the melody waned in its intensity. This is an interesting album and one hopes that the band will build a big enough fan base and tour more often.