Esoterica
Ether Metal
Year Of The Rat Records
Combining rock, metal and no small amount of gothic moodiness this latest offering from Londoners Esoterica just oozes quality. The writing is full of clever little nuances that make listening to each song an adventure. There’s a grandness to the overall feel of ‘Ether Metal’ that is more than just a full sound. It’s more like you get to breathe in unison with the music as it ebbs and flows. There are elements of progressive rock but they don’t go off on weird tangents, rather they become the strands that hold the whole work together. Tobias Keast’s vocals sit as much as an additional instrument than as a lyrical device. His range and sympathy for the material he is singing is quite incredible. And he makes it sound effortless. The rest of the band contribute at a similar level too with subtlety and understated perfection. We’ve already seen alt rock acts such as Muse and Biffy Clyro blow up. Based on this latest album Esoterica deserve to be next.
Review by Gary Trueman