Evolving greatly since their home-brew releases, ANAMORPH recorded their 57-minute sophomore LP (and first studio album) "Lucid" with Jamie King at The Basement in Winston-Salem, NC. This was followed by shooting the music video for "Breakthrough!" with Erez Bader of Silent Flight Productions. With eyes on a September 6th, 2019 release, the band will launch the record with an 11 day tour in their newly acquired van. "Lucid" contains thirteen tracks.

"Breakthrough!" leads off the album, opening with heavy accents and obviously stellar musicianship. They remind me a bit of POLYPHA or ANIMALS AS LEADERS. The Progressive elements come into play with how many times the change the meter. "Catharsis" opens with a little less flair and the song breathes some more. There is an element of mystery as the guitars and bass dance together. "Civilized Sociopath" features some thunderous drumming and the guitars and bass crash against each other in an order of chaos, sounding like FALLUJAH to me, without the vocals obviously. It pauses for a moment to catch its breath. I love the bass guitar work so far on the album.

"Edogenous Change" features the sharp attack of guitars, bass and drums, working together in perfect synergy. It's a bit dissonant but it works. Too much melody can saturate an album and I appreciate the diversity thee band has offered so far. "Fading Azure" shows off the band's chops as they fluctuate between heavier passages with big accents and more mellow and smooth passages done with melody in mind. "Feasting a Ravaged Earth" is a bit of a faster and darker offering, as the title would suggest. I am still amazed at how well this machine they call a band is oiled. It's techy as hell and requires perfect timing, which they have obviously. "Hubirs" opens with a smoother melody and hushed guitar and bass tones. Some guitar accents come in here and there and then retreat. "In Time" opens with a pretty little melody and a slower cadence. Lead guitars dance above the main rhythm, which begins to gather steam and then retreats again.

"Myopia" is more aggressive and heavy out of the gate, with a lot of complexity and layers. Suddenly the sound drops to a more pensive and thoughtful approach. Some of that heaviness returns through the end of the song. "Overcome" features waves of a guitar assault that work well in unison with bass and drums. This song is pure power and energy. It lashes out at you like a whip. "Sublimate" is at the other end of the spectrum, reminding me of OWANE. Tender moments combine with more aggressive ones, but keeping melody in the forefront. "Somber Gaze" closes the album, with a moment of the sublime that turns quickly into a cornered rattlesnake. Agusta really puts in a strong performance on the skins, hammering away in tight sequences that meld with the other instruments perfectly.

Overall, though there were 13 songs to get through, each one brought its own bit of identity to the album. What amazed me most was how tight the band was, and the virtuosity they brought to the table. They can go from heavy, aggressive accents to moody atmosphere on the spin of a dime. Their musicianship-was impeccable. I definitely recommend this album.