Neuraxis

One of the perennial underdogs in Quebec’s extreme metal scene, Neuraxis prove once again with this album why they shouldn’t be. As always the band operate somewhere between technical thrash and death metal, never quite going to the guttural extremes of the latter, which works in their favour. Instead, the band utilise a crisp production to show off their lively sound, one that is not quite as manic as some of Quebec’s finest. That temperance is what defines Neuraxis as well as being what prevents them from achieving the infamy of Cryptopsy or the buzz of Ion Dissonance. Still, Neuraxis succeed where those bands fail by writing material that kind of resembles songs (remember them?). Trilateral Progression picks up admirably where the band’s previous work left off, although perhaps there’s a greater emphasis on death metal brutality. The melody is still there, just not as much, and not in a predictable Gothenburg way, but rather in a more implicit and mature manner. Comparisons to Atheist and Cynic aren’t unfounded, as these thinkers (check those lyrics!) find ways to fuse melody, brutality and musicianship in ways that never get cheesy. New drummer Tommy McKinnon puts on an impressive performance here, outshined only by some killer guitar work. Somehow slightly less defined than their last, the mighty Truth Beyond, this disc is still top-notch tech metal, and one more victory for the Quebec extremists.