TesseracT: Sonder

Returning for their fourth full length LP, UK’s progressive metal juggernauts TesseracT have proven yet again just how beautiful metal music can be. As with many progressive metal albums, Sonder is extremely thematic, with the seven songs flowing seamlessly into one another contrasting sounds of elegance with very sinister undertones.
From the visceral opening of ‘Luminary’, listeners are thrown into a well of technical off-kilter riffs and disorientating atmospherics all blended together with Dan Tompkins incredible vocal range. One of things that really highlight the technical skill of TesseracT is their sheer ability to know when to ease off. It’s so common to come across prog-metal acts who try to highlight nothing but technicality, but it seems that TesseracT have enough confidence with their musical ability to know when technicalities are better left out.
As seen with the almost trip-hop ‘Orbital’ being the interlude for the mind-bending ‘Juno’, TesseracT don’t just make impressive songs, they make entire albums. Sonder is not an album that you can simply skim over; it is instead an album that requires your utmost attention so that you can fully embrace how unique it is. If you are a fan of any progressive metal acts, Sonder is one you absolutely have to check out.
Catch TesseracT at 170 Russell in Melbourne on September 14.
5/5
Kscope
Reviewed by Alex Callan