This 4-song EP is one of the first pieces that left me thinking of all what it could be. Is this truly it?
After just a little research, I found out this is just the first installment of some EP trilogy by ATLAS ENTITY. An almost one-man project, with only the drums and one guitar solo done by outsiders, this alien like project is one fantasy filled journey.
To let my criticism kick in immediately, this is just one weakish EP. Somewhere I expected more. First things first, the first song "Upon The Crest Of Solar Winds" is just plain. It did not really give me the feeling something special was at hand, and yet, it somehow did not bore me. The music was quite okay when you start to listen fragmented. The individual instruments are quite nicely aligned, and the musical concept is well thought, but the outcome is quite weak to listen to.
The second part of this installment, "Fissures", is better. The song just has a good vibe, well written again, lyrically well, but something is not quite the best here. The mixing of the guitar solos could have been more "in-your-face", because I miss that kick in the solos. They do not pop out, where the performance is very good. Compliments, of course, to Mark Hawkins playing the slim stringed alien machine here.
On a side note, the lyrics are one great plus. The alien theme is well written. The name of the album, "Enceladus", refers to a moon on which alien life might have been found. Puny little extremophiles maybe, but then again, so are you when listening to this album.
The third song "Gravity Well" is okay. I don't have anything to say about it but the concept of dullness that sometimes shines through again. The variation is there, but it does not feel special. The finale, "The Great Deconstructor", in title, almost reminded me of "Deconstruction" by Devin Townsend, but even though some elements might be compared, like the alien like structure somewhere, this is quite far from it. The song is heavy, and this one has the right vibe. Once again, a well-written and arranged piece, but now with an ending that leaves you craving for more. This reason leaves me nothing else than wondering on how this will go on. 4 is not enough. I need more. And that feeling is only caused when the music has done well. But due to overall dullness and quite a boring and not quite outstanding sound, this 6 is just constructive criticism. Let your genius flow, and I know for certain that ATLAS ENTITY will bring forth one blasting EP, once again.
