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GORDIAN
KNOT
EMERGENT
SENSORY/BIG DADDY
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| Nearly
four years it has taken Gordian Knot to make a follow-up to their groundbreaking
1999, self-titled debut. Well-worth the wait, though. Originally a post-Cynic
project by bassist Sean Malone, the band quickly established itself as one
of the world’s leading progressive metal acts. However, anyone expecting
to hear a sound similar to Cynic or Gordian Knot’s debut will be greatly
surprised. Cynic was incredibly gifted and Gordian Knot was phenomenal.
But this year’s aptly-named Emergent puts the band far and
beyond everyone else in their genre. |
| An
unexpected, moody jazz bass intro starts the album before going into the
album’s first full-length song, “Muttersprache”. Gordian
Knot’s focal influences of classical, jazz and metal still intertwine,
but most of the songs on Emergent are like “Muttersprache”,
metallic. Jason Gobel and Steve Hackett’s (of Gensis fame) melodious
guitar arpeggios inject some color, but not enough to subdue the song’s
thrashiness. The song that follows, A Shaman’s Whisper” is even
heavier. Big, beefy rhythm guitar riffs and screaming, synthesized lead
solos dominate the song. But flourishes of congas and flamenco guitar fills
add a spicy Latin dynamic.
The guitar-work on Emergent is brilliant, but the best way of
testing one’s axemanship is in a live performance. Sean Malone’s
live rendition of “Grace” solidifies his reputation as one
of today’s most gifted guitarists. “The Brook The Ocean”
is a lively Jazz-fusion piece, which is highlighted by two creative, technically
intricate solos; the first, a sweeping, minute-long bass solo by Malone
and the second, an innovative drum solo by King Crimson veteran Bill Bruford.
The closing track “Singing Deep Mountain” is yet another amazing
song--savage drums and choppy acrobatic rhythms that swim around soaring
lead guitars, impassioned piano fills and background vocals—a beautiful
way to end one of the most dynamic albums of the year.
After listening to Emergent, one can only hope it does not take
Gordian Knot another four years to release an album.
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