MISERY SIGNALS

American mathcore band Misery Signals have been on the scene for around six years now, and 'Controller' is their third full-length release. Renowned for the high levels of musicianship they exercise through progressive, yet still accessible, song structures, 'Controller' gets down to business early on as opener 'Nothing' confronts the listener with resonantly heavy, polyrhythmic intensity - down-tuned riffs, thundering bass notes, complex drum patterns, and convincingly aggressive hardcore vocals. Sporadic guitar arpeggios, sometimes palm-muted (as on 'Labyrinthian') or occasionally clean (like with 'Parallels'), infuse the songs with a degree of slightly less cacophonic madness, although 'Controller' is altogether a challenging listen...but, given time, a rewarding one. While many would probably be put off by the hardcore vocals, strip them away and what you essentially have is a technically accomplished prog-metal album. And an incredibly good one at that. For those who appreciate Meshuggah for what they do but ultimately find them an inaccessible listening experience, then Misery Signals are definitely a band to be checked out. There are elements of Meshuggah-inspired polymetric structures but so much more besides, and a greater depth that can often be lacking from the Swedes' music. This is not a criticism of Meshuggah as I appreciate and love them for what they do, but they're not to everyone's taste. Misery Signals, on the other hand, infuse their compositions with enough stylistic diversity that, given a few listens, the sonic treats on offer can be reaped. The production on 'Controller' is also pristine with every instrument clearly audible in the mix, and recorded with precise clarity, although with the legendary Devin Townsend as producer, this comes as no surprise. And it's actually the second time Misery Signals have worked with Townsend, as he also produced their debut album, 'Of Malice and the Magnum Heart'. In short, and in essence, 'Controller' is a masterpiece of contemporary technical prog-metal.

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Ferret Music

Album

CONTROLLER

Review by Mark Holmes

RUNNING TIME:

41:49

RELEASE DATE:

22nd July 2008

TRACK LISTING

1) Nothing
2) Weight Of The World
3) Labyrinthian
4) Parallels
5) Coma
6) A Certain Death
7) Set In Motion
8) Ebb And Flow
9) Reset
10) Homecoming

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

USA

"While many would probably be put off by the hardcore vocals, strip them away and what you essentially have is a technically accomplished prog-metal album. And an incredibly good one at that."