Though it is
early in the year, Nostalgia
by progressive metal group Corelia is in the running for release of the
year. This is an especially bold
statement seeing as Nostalgia
is a seven-song, 31-minute, debut EP.
The old adage “Quality over quantity” comes to mind when discussing this
stunning release.
Corelia
is a five-piece band from San Diego, CA.
They posted their first music online a little over a year ago and have
been touring and writing for Nostalgia ever since.
Clearly, they are a very young band, but you would not know it by
listening to their material.
Nostalgia
is an incredible record
from beginning to end. It opens
strong with “Treetops”, a song featuring the soaring vocals of Spencer Sotelo
from progressive metal peers, Periphery; the listener must remain vigilant,
however, because lead singer Ryan Devlin and Sotelo sound quite a bit alike,
which is great for harmony and meshing, but detracts a bit from the guest spot
since it does not stand out quite as much as guest vocals should. “Treetops” is also notable for the
sudden jazz piano break that comes out of nowhere. While such an abrupt transition could be considered jarring
to some, Corelia pulls it off in a way that makes it one of the most pleasant
moments on the record, mainly because the guitars pick up the piano melody only
a measure later; this is no small feat, as piano melodies do not translate well
into guitar, and vice versa. This
track sets the precedent for the rest of the album with its brimming
technicality, speed, and groove, all while keeping itself in check and not
sacrificing songwriting for the sake of any other element. For such a young band, it is incredible
how Corelia understands the importance of songwriting over all other aspects of
music.
As
for the style of the aforementioned songwriting, Corelia dabbles in many
genres, making them difficult to pinpoint. Progressive elements abound, while jazz in chords, drumming,
bass playing, and song progressions is a common theme; metal is evident in the
occasional growled/screamed vocals and the double bass drumming; the subgenre
djent (a genre pioneered by famous Swedish metal group Meshuggah) also makes
appearances in the grooves that keep the songs moving and the ambient textures
of the music itself. Of course,
all of this needs competent musicians to pull it all off, and Corelia has this
in spades.
Devlin’s
vocals throughout the album are consistently impressive both for his range, his
harsh, yet intelligible scream, and his varied intonations, which really add
dynamics too seldom seen in music anymore. He particularly shines in “Glass Faces”, “Red Sky Harbor”,
and epic album closer “Blood Petals”.
Devlin’s lyrics range from topics such as the human condition,
reflecting on what one has accomplished, the meaning of life, loneliness, the
beauty of nature, and revenge, all of which are presented tastefully and
poetically with very little cursing.
The lyrics are filled with gems such as “Could you ever/express your
mind in a phrase?/Tell me, my friend, what would it say?”
The
twin guitar attack of Chris Dower and Ryan Borrell are technical enough to
impress even the most jaded technical death metal fan, yet they realize they
must rein in their talent for the betterment of the band as a whole. This should not suggest that they do
not melt faces on the album; the scorching solos on “Glass Faces” and “Blood
Petals” show they have immense talent.
Dower and Borrell also bring groove to the table occasionally, particularly
halfway through “Red Sky Harbor”, which is so important in djent-styled
metal.
Speaking
of groove, it is always a welcome surprise to be able to hear bass in a metal
release, and thanks to the perfect production (more on that later), Adrian
Alperstein can be heard slapping, popping, and grooving throughout Nostalgia.
His shining moments appear in instrumental “Mute Swan” and the
previously highlighted rhythm break in “Red Sky Harbor”.
Finally,
Clayton Pratt’s drumming is impressive not only for his technicality (which is
definitely impressive), but for his shifting dynamics. He knows when to go all out,
incorporating ridiculous double bass and blast beats that would be more common
in death metal, and when to slow down and play a jazzy rhythm with the cymbals
and toms (see, again, “Red Sky Harbor” and “Blood Petals”).
Of
course, songwriting, lyrics, and talent are only three-fourths of the musical
pie. Production is extremely
important, for if it is bad, the entire album suffers, and the songwriting,
talent, and lyrics are that much harder to hear/understand/appreciate. Fortunately for Corelia, the production
on Nostalgia is
crystal clear. Every aspect of the
band can be heard at all times, and the dynamics that are so important to their
sound are highlighted. The guitar
and bass tones are perfect throughout and evoke an almost spacey
atmosphere. Devlin’s vocals sound
natural, genuine, and certainly not overproduced, a problem that plagues most
music of today. The bass drum
could use a bit more “oomph” to it, but its current tone fits the music
perfectly. The drums could also
sound a bit more organic, but this is probably due to the machine-like
precision of Pratt’s drumming. The
most impressive part of the production is the fact that Corelia self-produced
the EP, besides the mastering, which was done by Luke Martin.
The
only gripes to be had about Nostalgia are arguable.
Ryan Devlin’s varied delivery and high-pitched vocals may not be for
everybody, and may even sound awkward to some upon first listen, particularly
on “Red Sky Harbor” and the tail end of “Blood Petals”. The length of the recording is a bit
short, and it always seems to end too soon, but it is an EP, so this cannot
easily be held against the band.
Corelia
has crafted a masterpiece of a debut that all fans of music, and certainly all
musicians (due to the high-level song craft) should not miss this release,
especially since it is currently being streamed for free at Corelia’s homepage. Metal fans, jazz fans, and progressive
rock fans will find something to like in Nostalgia, an achievement that will surely be near
the top of this reviewer’s Best of 2011 list.
5 stars out of 5