QUANTUM’s debut album, "Down the Mountainside", contains eight very elaborate and intense compositions, spanning 45 minutes of music that shimmers in acoustic soundscapes one minute to explode into spastic grooves in the next. The lyrical themes deal with humans alter egos - or masks - that people in our society rely on in order to get by with their everyday lives. The album has eight songs.

 “The Hivemind & The Cockroach” is first. The song begins with some heavy guitar layering, followed by dexterous meter shifts. It has a dark feeling for me, but that subtle shift to light shows the band’s musicianship and songwriting abilities, and that guitar solo with underlying fat bass notes is fantastic. “On the Verge” lets a little more melody out of the tightness of the structure. The transitions are so smooth here that you barely notice them, as the band shifts nimbly in and out of different passages, and various skies and are at times clear and then grey. “Down the Mountainside pt. 1” is another song with so much subtle shifting, and the vocal harmonies are glorious. Once again, the lead guitar work is excellent, and the trio are quite accomplished at their trades.

 “Moths & Leaves” has more delicate and melancholy tones at first, especially in the vocals, and the high vibrato in the guitars gives the song a psychedelic sound. I’m not sure what to make of the brief sax section, but it does show the trio’s creativity. “Abstract Bliss” has a good deal of tension in it, and the band shows great restraint in how the apply it. They are one step ahead of the listener in most of the songs on the album. “Dots” is a short, three-minute song where the band just focuses on the gentle melodies, letting piano notes and vocal harmonies wash over the listener. “Down the Mountainside pt. 2” is an instrumental has a weighted and dissonant sound out of the gate, and makes a seamless transition in and out of bright melodies and back to punishing weight.

“The Last Stone” closes the album. It shifts so many times, you lose count. At times downright playful, while other times heavy and dexterous, they always keep you guessing. Fans of Progressive Music have to get used to one universal thing: the music can sometimes be strange, odd, and unexpected, but in a good way, and this album is no exception. With its throwback sound that also feels undeniably modern, each track is a testament to the band's ability to capture the essence of both darkness and light. From haunting melodies that echo with a sense of foreboding to uplifting choruses that soar with hope, the album takes listeners on a journey through contrasting emotions. It blends the familiar with the unexpected, leaving a lasting impression that lingers long after the music fades.