Released by: Divided by Design Records
Release Date: October 20th, 2023
Genre: Post/Metal
Links: https://dbdofficial.bandcamp.com/album/a-canvas-for-the-universe
Line Up:
Liam Stephenson
Tom Chambers
Tracklist:
1. Emboldened by Failure
2.Nexus
3.The Future Is What We Make It (feat. Hedras)
4.Glancing at Infinity
5.Mind Over Man
6.A Parting Need Not Last Forever
7.The Cosmological Constant (feat. Connor Kaminski)
8.How Far We’ve Gone
9.730 Hours
10.Returning to a Distant Earth (The Reason to be Remembered)
Divided by Design is a two piece metal post rock band out of the United Kingdom – and honestly by the sounds of this album, you’d never guess it there are only two people if this was your first time listening. Maybe some would but I certainly didn’t. This is my first time hearing the band, and yet, I am walking away a new fan. These guys can rock! This album started out epic with “Emboldened By Failure” and it keeps going all the way throughout. Ending as epic as it starts with the almost 16 minute “Returning to a Distant Earth (The Reason to be Remembered)” – which is an awesome track by the way, don’t let the length scare you. This last track is a trip and one that you’ll enjoy the whole time you’re on it. With aural sounds of landscapes that change every few minutes, it’s like being on a train seeing the many different textures of a landscape or a city. Bustling and built up or barren and spacious. It just works.
The chord structures, soaring solos and use of time changes complement one another in a very realistic way, it doesn’t feel forced, or like they’re trying to put more in than needs to be there.
In general the album is a sonic landscape that is a land of virtuosity and technical prowess. One listen to any of the tracks and you’ll hear it instantly. It reminds me of Animals as Leaders mixed with a hint of Dream Theater, from the programmed and synth sounds of John Rudess to the driving chordal patterns and solos of John Petrucci, add in some spritzes of Joe Satriani and Steve Vai.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is “730 Hours”, the guitar work is excellent, blending softer tones not so in your face, with a hard edge of a full sound at times.
Here’s a shout out to the mix and master job on this album too as I feel it must be noted for its beautiful job capturing what it means to represent the individual elements of both guitars and drums as instruments and more.
This album sounds like it could be a canvas for the universe to me. The ability to seamlessly meld time and space and make sense of it had me on the edge the whole time. I can honestly say that not many albums do that.
Written by: Chris Rugowski
Ratings: 10/10
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