Burial In the Sky bassist Zach Strouse lent his saxophone skills to Rivers of Nihil earlier this year, resulting in the excellent Where Owls Know My Name. Now, with Creatio et Hominus, he's trying to make lightning strike twice, delivering two technical, psychedelic heavy albums in the span of a few months. Fans of Fallujah and the recent wave of djent can rejoice; prog is once again king.
Creatio et Hominus's title track ends up being the highlight of the album. It's the only time the mix of Pink Floyd-worshipping acid rock and seven-string noodling really feel perfectly balanced. Elsewhere, like on "The Pivotal Flame" and "Tesla," the songs are broken up with periods of processed technicality that will appeal to other musicians, but not many casual listeners. It makes the other half of the music, like the multi-instrumentalist jazzy sections in "Psalms of the Deviant" seem too spaced out.
Burial In the Sky stay committed to their death growls throughout Creatio et Hominus. A few clean vocal parts wouldn't have hurt. It would support the progressive edge that the band is managing to cultivate.
(Independent)Creatio et Hominus's title track ends up being the highlight of the album. It's the only time the mix of Pink Floyd-worshipping acid rock and seven-string noodling really feel perfectly balanced. Elsewhere, like on "The Pivotal Flame" and "Tesla," the songs are broken up with periods of processed technicality that will appeal to other musicians, but not many casual listeners. It makes the other half of the music, like the multi-instrumentalist jazzy sections in "Psalms of the Deviant" seem too spaced out.
Burial In the Sky stay committed to their death growls throughout Creatio et Hominus. A few clean vocal parts wouldn't have hurt. It would support the progressive edge that the band is managing to cultivate.