Hier jemand aber gleich einmal ALLES! “Their mains influences are going from Porcupine Tree to Tool, Dream Theater to Peter Gabriel”. Hoch gestapelt ist manchmal schon die halbe Miete und Manchem sein Ganzes. Aber, wenn man schon irgendwelche Schubladen mit Macht aus den wurmstichigen Vintage-Mobiliar des Progressive Rock heraushebeln möchte, dann kann man einmal Gnade vor Recht ergehen lassen und beipflichten – ja, Anasazi sind durchaus auf dem richtigen Weg. Reichlich komplexe Rhythmusstrukturen prallen auf Progressive infizierte Arrangements, ohne jedoch, und das ist das Gute, in Dream Theater’sche Hybris zu verfallen.
Ein ‘Trapped’ kommt mit Tool’schem Basslauf, ‘324’ und ‘Exit Life’ mit durchaus PT-Harmonien, ‘Death Was (Her) Name’ als Progmetal-Bolzen und ‘Disheartening‘ als Opeth’scher Dunkelprog. Anasazi legen auch Wert darauf, dass nichts so bleibt, wie es war. Die Tracks weisen deutliche Twists und Wesensveränderungen auf – aus einer balladesken Wohlfühl-Oase entsteht wie Phönix aus der Asche dann schon einmal eine Hymne in Art Rock (‘Space Between’). Letztendlich kommen mit ‘The Mourning‘ (immerhin 13:19 mächtig) dann auch wirklich alle Tool-Jünger auf ihre Kosten, weist dieser Brocken anfangs doch eine deutliche Affinität zu ‘The Pot’ auf. Wobei auch hier wieder Veränderung die Intention hinter allem ist und nichts so ist, wie es scheint… Nun bedeutet Anasazi selbst in Navajo soviel wie “alte Feinde”. Hoffen wir, dass das hier nicht so ist! (C. Agthe/betreutesproggen.de - 10/15)
Anasazi is a french progressive band born in 2004 in Grenoble, France.
Their mains influences are going from Porcupine Tree to Tool, Dream Theater to Peter Gabriel.
mathieu madani : guitars, bass, keyboards & voice bruno saget : lead guitar anthony barruel : drums
Some albums, even prog albums, don‘t have to re-invent the wheel to succeed. I had never heard Anasazi in the past, but as I worked my way through my first listen of Cause and Consequences, I kept nodding my head thinking "Good choice." Like many prog metal bands, Anasazi switches up the feel often, but it never feels forced. They also don‘t milk a particular idea too far (which many other bands do). The influences are certainly here - Tool, Opeth, Porcupine Tree, and traditional heavy rock, but the number of different rhythms, tonalities, melodic elements always kept me interested. There is very little shred (although it is well done in the few places the guitarist lets loose). Thankfully, the band neither leans on Dream Theater or Meshuggah. There‘s plenty of groove, great riffing, and vocals that have some attitude and snarl without ever going into extreme realms.
There is a LOT of death themes in the lyrics, which did not appeal to me as much as the music itself. What did appeal to me was the production. I could hear everything clearly. During vocal sections, the vocals were the loudest element. When there was a guitar solo, it was clear. Riffs, including the spaces between notes, sit on top when it‘s time. While one would assume that all professionally mixed and mastered albums would be this way, modern overuse of compression and overdubs often makes (especially metal albums) a soup of sound where the only clear element is the kick and snare.
The final epic is indeed the star of the album, taking the listener on a journey that has many stops along the way but always knows where it is headed. The opening riff encapsulates all the things the band does well - a syncopated riff a la Opeth, then a layered vocal over a Tool groove, and then a not-quite-chorus that if anything makes me think of King‘s X. What I love is that even if one instrument is making an obvious nod to a classic band, other members of the band are pulling from somewhere else. The result is interesting, rocking, and a great listen from the opening to the close.
