ENOCHIAN THEORY

So here we have the imminent release of the sophomore album by Portsmouth based prog-rock/metal trio Enochian Theory. And, to be honest, it's a bit of a mixed bag composition/performance-wise. The album has many sonically beauteous moments, particularly during some songs' sublimely ambient passages, but the overall effect is marred by the plodding nature of certain parts that come across more muzak than music. I found many of the tracks washing over me rather than absorbing my psyche in any profoundly affective way. Songs' main themes somehow seem too drawn out in unnecessary repetition, themes that are not that interesting in the first instance on many occasions. Further, and this is a major distraction at times, some of the clean guitar parts, particularly those played through a delay effect, are a little too high in the mix and, dare I say, sound ever so slightly amateurish - not necessarily in execution but how they've been recorded/mixed. The general production, by the band themselves, is not inherently bad per se, but the mix is definitely lacking in places. At least to my ears. On the plus side, the smooth tones of Benedict Harris-Hayes' vocals are well delivered/recorded and perfectly fitting for the music. It's just a shame his guitar playing wasn't refined and captured in such a way. Bottom-line, if you're looking for prog-rock/metal that combines the ambient with the heavy within the context of heartfelt, emotionally charged compositions that are adorned with smoother than smooth, powerfully affective vocals - which I presume was Enochian Theory's aim here - then look no further than Sweden's Wolverine. The Portsmouth trio have fallen far short of their sonically sublime magnificence. A shame really as 'Life...And All It Entails' promises so much but fails to deliver all too often.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Music Theories Recordings

Album

LIFE...AND ALL IT ENTAILS

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

58:18

RELEASE DATE:

19th March 2012

TRACK LISTING

0) Zero Is Also A Number
1) This Aching Isolation; 2) Hz
3) Non Sum Qualis Eram
4) Distances; 5) Inversions
6) Creatio Ex Nihilio
7) In Times of Silence
8) For Your Glory, Great Deceiver
9) Nisi Credideritis, Non Intelligetis
10) The Motives of the Machine
11) Singularities; 12) Loves
13) The Fire Around the Lotus

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

UK

"...'Life...And All It Entails' promises so much but fails to deliver all too often."