The Contortionist Megathread

[lava]

One thing I can't help but keep noticing is how awesome the keyboard player for this band is. Super tastefully programmed non-cheesy synth sounds and atmospheres, great sequencing/arpeggiation, fills in the frequency gaps between the guitars perfectly. On future albums I'd love to see him featured a little more heavily.

 

[GiveUpGuitar]

Ayyyyy my media company just dropped Language 1&2 live at Revolution! in Amittyville, NY. The Contortionist are good friends of ours, so best believe we have more coming soon!

 

[devwil]

I only went back in this thread a few pages, but I wondered if anybody else was irritated/disappointed by the production on Language.

Not being an expert producer myself (so take this criticism with a grain of salt), but is the album not terribly overcompressed? It seems like they motion towards having great dynamics in their songs but it just all sounds loud to me, even the parts that seem like they should be quiet.

And I thought the mix was kind of muddy, too. The bass really seems to boom and overpower other elements.

But maybe it's just me. Either way, I ended up underwhelmed by Language and I think that comparisons to Traced in Air are pretty fair. At the very least, I think they mimic a lot of the timbres Cynic used on that album.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I thought it sounded way less compressed than intrinsic. Or at least compressed in a very different way, I don't know

I will say that their live sound and show are even 10x better than on album

 

[GunpointMetal]

Wow, I didn't hear anything muddy in the production at all. Obviously preference and whatnot play a role in what people hear, but I though the production was nearly perfect on the album. I doubt we'll ever hear a proggy metal band in this vein that doesn't over-do it a little bit as far as the production goes, but I certainly didn't find myself distracted by any of the things I might have looked at differently from the mixing desk aside from noticing they existed.

 

[Santuzzo]

I just got the new album 'Language' about a week ago, I really love this album!

 

[spawnofthesith]

I just got the new album 'Language' about a week ago, I really love this album!

Best release of 2014 IMO

 

[Tenacious]

A good release but definitely not the best. Ne Oblivascaris and Spectral Lore were my favorites.

 

[Durero]

Best release of 2014 IMO

I love all three of their albums.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I love all three of their albums.

Me too, I'd probably be lying if I said they weren't my favorite band. I have more than a weeks worth of contortionist shirts

 

[crg123]

Anyone in Boston going to the Show at Brighton music hall tonight? I'm trying to decide if I should go haha.

 

[Richie666]

I went to the Boston show last night. Mainly went for Revocation who were great as always. Fallujah were a bit too "clicky." I should have given The Contortionist more of a listen before going but they were alright. Wasn't too into it but they definitely warranted a listen. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I were familiar with their tunes.

Is their latest a good place to start?

 

[nikolazjalic]

I went to the Boston show last night. Mainly went for Revocation who were great as always. Fallujah were a bit too "clicky." I should have given The Contortionist more of a listen before going but they were alright. Wasn't too into it but they definitely warranted a listen. I'm sure I would have enjoyed it more if I were familiar with their tunes.

Is their latest a good place to start?

Depends what you like. Language is much more melodic and vocal focused compared to Exoplanet and Intrinsic. It's also the only album so far with Mike Lessard on vocals. Exoplanet is more Deathcore and Intrinsic is a more progressive attempt. I love all their albums but they're so drastically different.

 

[QuantumCybin]

I agree with the above post...each album satisfies a different one of my tastes. Exoplanet is just in your face with awesome contrasts of melodic moments, but it's very much the most straightforward "heavy" album they have. It will always have a special place in my heart, it's a great album to run to in my opinion. Intrinsic is awesome as well, you can see the roots of Language in a lot of that record.

 

[JosephAOI]

Saw them last night in Newport. Those dudes always know how to put on the most insane show. I know a lot of people try to say that they don't have a very active or energetic live show, but I feel like those people are almost missing the point of The Contortionist. It's a lot less of a show and more of an experience, I suppose. I had a hell of a lot of fun though

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

Saw them last night in Newport. Those dudes always know how to put on the most insane show. I know a lot of people try to say that they don't have a very active or energetic live show, but I feel like those people are almost missing the point of The Contortionist. It's a lot less of a show and more of an experience, I suppose. I had a hell of a lot of fun though

Agreed. It is more about the music and the experience.

When I saw them back in September, the venue's light guy kept all the house lights off save for a small few streams of blue behind the band and they played the entire set like that. Sure, there wasn't any jumping around and energetic movement like pitting, but the focus was on the music and the whole audience was just swaying as one and headbobbing and grooving. Everyone, even those who never heard of the band, were into the music. A pit did open up for "Flourish" as the closer though.

But it was one of the best, most memorable performances I have ever seen. They really are my favorite band at the moment.

 

[MikeH]

Saw them last night in Newport. Those dudes always know how to put on the most insane show. I know a lot of people try to say that they don't have a very active or energetic live show, but I feel like those people are almost missing the point of The Contortionist. It's a lot less of a show and more of an experience, I suppose. I had a hell of a lot of fun though

You were in Newport? TEH FAWK, D00D?! So was I.

But yeah, I was impressed with them. I watched from the balcony and let myself take in the whole experience from a distance. It was definitely awesome. I'm not a huge fan of these guys anymore, as I don't really listen to too much progressive music. But everything off of Exoplanet sounded spot on. I'm not too sure about Mike's girly screams, though.

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

I got to see them last fall with Periphery and on the current tour. Several times before as well. They are very, very accurate and tight live. Mike does have a hell of a scream/shriek; I'm glad he pulls the mic away a bit now, or my eardrums are. He's a super nice and humble dude, shaking everyone's hand after the show at the door.

 

[gorthul]

Agree on their live performance being super intense. I saw them with Protest The Hero in november (afaik it was the first europe tour for The Contortionist) and I was so focused on the music that I didn't realize what was happening around me. This was definitely an unique experience and I hope they will come here again in the near future. Easily one of my top three live performances of the last year.

 

[MikeH]

Snagged a full video of them playing Oscillator on Saturday, if anyone's interested. Excuse the iPhone audio.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=945750458768991&pnref=story