The expansion of limits into Metal enables band to reach certain level where conceptions are totally torn apart into a maelstrom of musical ideas. It’s not complicated if one understands that music isn’t limited (besides bands of Old School Metal tendencies has such behavior). To transcend limits is a driving force to many, so it’s a matter of hearing and understanding that conceptions were created just to be broken some years in the future. And the quartet PARADOX RIFT, from Ohio (USA) seems to be working on such trend, as heard on “Ensnared”, their first album. Their music can be said as a combination of elements between Progressive Death Metal and Deathcore, but the final result is a form of Post-Metal (or maybe Post-Death Metal) filled with different emotions, sometimes abstract, on others introspective and intimiste, hypnotic and progressive, with different musical influences appearing on layers.

To be honest, if they’re in such way on their first album, maybe on the future these guys will torn limits apart. Yes, they’re very good, using a good technical appeal, some technical parts and Progressive moments, and it’s not simple to describe what they do. Just hear to it and enjoy its aggressiveness and energy. Mixed and master by the hands of Noah Buchanan, and produced by the band itself, it seems the model for Progressive Death Metal releases served as a basis for they expand things up, because it’s not rough, but defined and heavy, in a way that really can make the ears ache. And what disturbing artwork (that fits on their music perfectly).

To hear “Ensnared” and like it it’s not difficult (but to have a deeper understanding of its music is another story), but many of their musical ideas becomes clear heard when dealing with moments as “Dismembered by Dogs” (very good Progressive set of rhythms, with bass guitar and drums being technical and heavy at the same time), “Ensnared” (another oppressive moment, with nasty guitar riffs filling all the spaces between a technical moment and other), “Doomsayer” (pay attention how the ambient becomes introspective, melancholic and oppressive, pointing to something into a Post-Metal trend in many moments), “Sporous” (here the instrumental technique becomes evident, along with the screamed tunes of the vocals pushing things into something into Post-Metal extreme tendencies), “Loathsome” (if you can’t understand such Progressive Death Metal/Post-Death Metal ambiences sometimes, just enjoy the ride), “Disfluency” (another moment filled with contrasts between Progressive Death Metal takes and noisy traces), “Grave-Snuggler” (pay attention that the blast beats of the drums hides some strange influences into their music), and “Feral Soul”. But all the songs are excellent.

PARADOX RIFT can be stepping on eggs with “Ensnared”, so let’s pay attention to what the future will bring. For now, enjoy the album, because it’s excellent!