A Hard Rock band moonlighting as a pretentious Progressive Metal band.
The frustrating and pretentiously named 'One With Gravity And The Darkness' from California's Nescience begins brightly enough with 'Contact'; it opens with a dream-like bass intro and steady build up, thanks to the sharp drums and aggressive guitars. But it hits a creative wall when the weak vocals cut in and breaks down entirely into Melodic Rock made up with an awful guitar tone. This is the story for the album in general.
Nescience has the best of intentions; they try to sound like Tool with lingering bass-lines whilst attempting haunting interludes and crushing heaviness. But when listening to Tool it is clear Maynard James Keenan's crew are music geeks (in the fondest sense) who know far more about music and how to construct multiple layers, and when to shut the hell up, than anyone else.
That said, you have to give Nescience credit; when they're not trying to be a thoughtful Progressive band, when they just put their heads down and go for it, they are a lively three-chord Hard Rock act with enough Punk spirit and a hammering drummer to invoke the healthiest reaction. 'Intension' is a good example of this with a simple Hard Rock groove built around a rising verse and chomping guitar riffs. It's much better than 'Downstairs' which is bogged down by a dreary guitar riff and 'Like We Want To' which is an overblown Garage band exercise.
If you can make it through 'One With Gravity And The Darkness' you'll find a Hard Rock band moonlighting as a pretentious Progressive Metal band. Do yourselves (and us) a favour, chaps... keep up the furious pace and lose the 'worthiness'. Don't think, do.
Dan Bond
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