The Contortionist Megathread

[JosephAOI]

Got my pre-order in today, everything's super sick! I've listened to the album quite a few times now and it's fantastic. I personally like Intrinsic more but this album has a lot of amazing things happening in it. The first of which is definitely atmosphere. It's got that feel down for the entire album and it always keeps you going exactly the direction they want you to. Some of the songs just blow my mind. 9.5/10 AOTY.

 

[spawnofthesith]

.... yeah!


Seriously tho, dat Integration. ..

 

[goherpsNderp]

got my preorder yesterday.

i love the recording quality, and the writing is pretty great, but the vocals are slowly getting to me. i feel like he tries to hard to put these small little nuances in the vocals, and it comes off as awkward or too JMK-ish. all of this super soft quiet singing comes off as a bit pretentious.

i'm sure i'll get over it eventually so for now i'll just keep focus on the music and guitars. going to give it a handful more listens before casting any kind of verdict across it all.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Had a Contortionist marathon today, starting with the Sporadic Movements ep. You guys think theres a huge leap between language and Exoplanet, scope out that progression

 

[lemeker]

Just got the new one today, after listening to a couple of songs off of it. This is my first Contortionist cd. I'm not really too familiar with their other stuff. I really like what I hear so far. Seems to have the right mix of everything. So far the first two tracks, and Thrive, really stick out. Might have to check out some older stuff now........

 

[spawnofthesith]

Just got the new one today, after listening to a couple of songs off of it. This is my first Contortionist cd. I'm not really too familiar with their other stuff. I really like what I hear so far. Seems to have the right mix of everything. So far the first two tracks, and Thrive, really stick out. Might have to check out some older stuff now........

Definitely do, their whole catalog is amazing

 

[sakeido]

Definitely do, their whole catalog is amazing

I don't think so... the new album is so much better than the previous two it doesn't even sound like the same band.

Language is ....in genius, album of the year contender.

 

[codync]

I don't think so... the new album is so much better than the previous two it doesn't even sound like the same band.

Language is ....in genius, album of the year contender.

I guess I'll be the guy to chime in and say that I think Exoplanet blows it out of the water. I just think it's more interesting as a whole and personally, I think they were doing more unique stuff with deathcore than they are now with prog metal.

Anyway, I covered Language I on bass if anyone wants to check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qIP3_YLKpk

 

[spawnofthesith]

I'm going to go out in a limb here and say that if Exoplanet is deathcore, then I have been very confused as to what deathcore sounds like for nearly a decade

 

[Tang]

The album is a definite grower. I really didnt enjoy it til well after my third listen. Those glorious vocal melodies kept me coming back, for sure.

 

[ForThisGift]

I like the first two albums, but I completely agree that their newest offering is on a different level in my opinion.

 

[Dakotaspex]

Ebb & Flow made me feel such a euphoric rush in my brain. It was pretty nuts. This album has SO much going for it. Appropriate polyrhythms, VERY flowing and well-devised structure, haunting melodies, and the big thing for me is that it knows how to appropriately hold back. It doesn't cram notes, and every note feels like it was put there with a purpose. Album of the year for me.

9.5/10

 

[Paul Gilbert]

Going to give Language a spin right now.

if it's anything like intrinsic,

feels will be tickled.

 

[spawnofthesith]

It doesn't really sound like intrinsic, but if you like the direction they were headed with that, you'll love language

 

[Mr-Jemhead93]

anyone else reading the articles they're posting on metalsucks today?

http://www.metalsucks.net/2014/09/17/today-metalsucks-contortionist-sucks/

 

[Opion]

Acquired the album just now and listening through it on headphones...

Lots of cool subtleties, really cool washy delays, super dynamic. I just figured out that Eric Guenther is playing keyboards on this album - I saw his band From Exile years ago in 2006 and he's apparently from my hometown and we chatted for a moment, pretty chill dude - also the old StS bassist Jordan is in this band now, as well as the Last Chance to Reason vocalist?

They're becoming almost like Periphery in the sense that they're acquiring radical musicians from various bands in the scene and coming together to write really different music from the norm. Very stoked on this record, will be spinning it a lot on the road.

 

[-One-]

Had a Contortionist marathon today, starting with the Sporadic Movements ep. You guys think theres a huge leap between language and Exoplanet, scope out that progression

I've got everything but the Sporadic Movements EP. Any idea where I can find it?

 

[jjfiegel]

Yeah, Exoplanet is definitely still the best. This album is better than Intrinsic, though. Language is an album that definitely grows on you, while Intrinsic gets worse with each listen (Holomovement has to be the most boring song in all of existence, though Primordial Sound wants to give it a run for its money. Seriously if I have to hear Holomovement open one more show I'm going to go insane).

This might be that album where they're testing out new things, and the next album will blow our minds. As it stands now, this is just a poor man's Cynic / Tool.

 

[anomynous]

Good thing they're not opening with Holomovement anymore. Now it's the second song. Huge drastic change.



Primordial Sound is also in the set.

 

[jjfiegel]

Man I hate Holomovement so much. It's so boring. So aimless. I feel the same about Primordial Sound. You remove those two songs and that's a pretty good set though.