Structures

An impressive EP and quick signing to Sumerian drew the heat onto Toronto, ON's young rising stars of djent. That said, Structures' Divided By is a record full of promise, but with several disappointments and one fatal flaw. Yes, the band absolutely shred the shit out their instruments and ride some fantastic grooves, but the songwriting falls by the wayside as polyrhythmic breaks and drum fills fall on top of each other ― playing progressive metal doesn't mean it can't make sense, as Periphery have shown. The clean vocals introduced to this record don't fit ― they simply come off as weird, poppy segues that randomly intersect with the big, heavy breakdowns. And to top it off, all their work is undone by the production team, with audible clipping present throughout the entire record ― listen to the crackling during the "quiet" breaks for proof and watch yourself mash your palm on the EQ sliders. Welcome to the loudness war, private.