When it comes to so-called progressive metal, far too many bands are too willing to tread easy territory and ape their peers. Very few under this umbrella actually seek to be original and stand out. Even fewer still actually boggle the mind on first listen nowadays. Step forward A Sense Of Gravity.

Formed in 2011, A Sense Of Gravity have shown a dazzling range of styles on Atrament (self -released) on a level that matches the likes of Sleepytime Gorilla Museum and especially Between The Buried & Me, but without sounding like a carbon copy of either. Album opener ‘Drowing In Ink’ begins with a theatrical feel, veering between clean vocals, slow pace into a cinematic reminiscent passage; before ‘Reclusive Peace’ jumps out of the blocks with djent like polyrhythms to death metal, growls and the return of C.J.Jenkins’ histrionic croon and the vocal melodies from the first track.

This djent/tech metal style rhythms are the foundation for much of the album, but extra and widening influences creep in throughout; from signs of classic prog to Jazz, but avoids sounding misjudged or convoluted, instead sounding utterly vibrant, fresh and captivating.. These prog influences really show their presence on the album’s final two, long player tracks ‘I, Recreant’ and ‘Manic Void’, where they really open up and integrate these styles with expansive and ever-changing structures.

Between The Buried & Me are of course the go to name when it comes to utterly bonkers, bit of everything, progressive metal and therefore any band doing similar will always be compared to them. But on Atrament, A Sense of Gravity have shown to be a true creative force in such a small space of time from their incarnation. Adding huge amounts of creativity to the somewhat stagnant djent style, Atrament is the sound of a genuinely exciting new tech metal presence.

8.0/10

CHRIS TIPPELL