If you haven’t already heard of them, TesseracT are part of a new movement in the world of underground metal called “djent”, a style so-called by the guitarist of Meshuggah (Fredrik Thordendal). This UK act are one of the high flyers of this style that blends metal with progressive elements for great effect. This up-and-coming alternative band has been-hotly tipped to be the next big thing in 2011 and it’s not hard to see why…
To say TesseracT’s debut album ‘One’ has been in the making for a while is an understatement, and for fans of the band it has been a long wait. Was this worthwhile then? The album opens with ‘Lament’, allowing you to experience slow, melodic vocals, which then build up, with the aid of the faded bass, to unleash the heavy guitar riffs and harsher screamo-esque vocals. This is one of the most “important” songs on the album, as it is all about the heavy and deep atmosphere it creates, defying you not to experience every emotion that went through the band’s collective mind when creating it. A sense of ambience is set at the start and is never quite lost throughout, despite its interludes of heavy guitar and screamo-esque vocals.
The title-track ‘One’ meanwhile, is all about passion and emotion and it encompasses the energy of this group perfectly. We dare you not to get sucked into the atmosphere of each track. From start to finish, you’re taken on a journey with the band, through the creative process, from the heart-wrenching sorrow and regret of ‘Lament’, to the anger and passion you feel through the notes of ‘Nascent’. The mood that runs through this album is a feat that top metal bands sometimes fail to achieve and it is a skill that will almost certainly propel ‘One’ to the top of many “best of 2011” lists.
Overall, this record is best experienced in one sitting with your speakers on full, allowing you to be yanked into the world that is TesseracT and leaving you wondering how fifty minutes passed so quickly.
For more information, visit the official website.
