SIMULACRUM hails from one of the wonderlands of Metal, Finland. This Neo-Classical/Progressive Metal band formed in 2012 and has since released 3 studio albums. "Genesis" is their first album with record label Frontiers and it makes quite a first impression!

 

The album opens with the song "Traumatized".I immediately caught some SYMPHONY X vibes, particularly their "Paradise Lost" era with the chuggy yet speedy riff style. Not to mention the fabulous Neo-Classical orchestration and play styles of most of the stringed instruments. I also must admit, the contrast of the two vocalists was a bit off-putting at first, their voices really are quite different! This track is a bit disorienting with so much going on that I couldn't quite latch onto any one element for long. "Nothing Remains" has some great headbang-worthy riffs and a killer solo section. The orchestration also added plenty of drama to the mix. The vocal hooks are much catchier in this one as well.

 

"Arrhythmic Distortions" has a very fitting title for what it sounds like. Key changes GALORE in this one! The guitars get a bit Djenty and the key work is more retro, very synthesized more like in older Prog music (which is a fascinating opposition to hear playing all at once) "Like You Like Me" is a lovely ballad in the style of DREAM THEATER's "Another Day". Even the synths have that early 90s feel to them, which gave me a significant amount of nostalgia as I listened. At the bridge though, the vocals get really gritty and intense, which makes the song take off into the dueling guitars solo section. "Scorched Earth" flows from the last track and keeps a similar SYMPHONY X meets DREAM THEATER blend, with just a dash more of the modern Djent style.

 

This leads into the second half the album which is the 30 minute epic track "Genesis" (although they were kind enough to divide the track into 4 parts!) "The Celestial Architect" kicks off the 4 part saga with some whimsical and space age-y synths, whirling riffs, and a vast variety of percussion (including some marimba!) creating a vibrant galaxy of sound. "Evolution of Man" is a mostly instrumental/atmospheric track. There's some excellent shred, some portions that the bass gets some time to shine, plus it ends with some beautiful keys from Chrism! The beautiful piano leads into the next part "The Human Equation". This one took on a much older feel, it mainly keeps with the Neo-Classical piano. It's beautiful and intricate, a total shift from everything else on the album, but doesn't feel out of place at all. The album finishes with the just over 11 minute long track "End of Entropy". This song is a thrill ride of textures from galloping riffs, to dancing basslines, soaring vocals, and plenty of synthy keys to send you upside down and flying up and down inclines of glorious music. So many highs and lower portions, this song is a near perfect epic length track every Prog album has to have.

  

Overall, the album Genesis is a feast for the ears. There's so many delectable portions for any Prog fan and any Metal fan. The balance of the old school Progressive sound against the modern Prog Metal sound made this album truly enjoyable. The guitarwork is heavy with a generous amount of shred, perfect for headbanging. Yet, there are some parts that are smoother and slower, made it feel more like something by KING CRIMSON instead. The only element I sometimes struggled with was the two vocalists; their voices clashed a bit in the first few songs, but then managed to find a happy medium by the 5^th track. They're both great vocalists, just vastly different. It often felt like a collaboration between James Labrie and Russell Allen (two of my all time favorite singers!) I think the shining aspect of this album for me was the amazing synth/keys by the band founder Chrism although every member got to show their high amounts of skill at several points on the album. All together, this album had a slightly tough start, but once they got their stride, it was a non-stop thrill ride!