Between the Buried and Me - Colors (2007)

It’s not exactly brand new, but it’s probably my all time favourite album, so I thought it would be nice to start with it. Between the Buried and Me (BtBam) hail from North Carolina, USA, and are without a doubt one of the most talented bands out there.

BtBam are one of those bands whose sound audibly progresses from one album to the next, and anyone can say they’ve come a long way since their 2002 debut. Notably, Colors is significantly less heavy than any of their previous releases (though there’s still a fair share of breakdowns, usually in messed up time signatures), but perhaps more profound is the band’s progression in musicianship.

They’ve always been a talented band, there’s no denying that: I still maintain that Paul Waggoner is the best guitarist alive, even if he’s not got fastest fingers on the fretboard. But Colors truly is a masterpiece. Every song flows seamlessly on from the last, and each song has its own dips and rises, climaxes and interludes. Listening to it is truly a musical journey. A journey that you will wish never to end.

And it certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of complexity either. All the songs are layered, and each instrument is used to its full potential. That’s not to mention the fact that all the songs require a fair bit of musical prowess to even attempt to imitate, whatever instrument you are trying (yes, there is even a bass guitar solo). Time signatures are played around with a fair bit, somehow not managing to take away from the flow of the music in any way, like you see in bands such as 'Veil Of Maya'.

If you’re listening to this album for the first time, I seriously recommend stopping doing anything else, sitting back, and focus solely on the music, else you’ll miss something. You know you’re onto something special when you find a band with the technical ability of BtBam, who decide not to make a show-off album, but who decide to make a record showcasing the best that metal music can offer. If you have any sense, you will be awed, amazed and astounded.

10/10

1. Foam Born part A: The Bactrack
2. Foam Born part B: The Decade of Statues
3. Informal Gluttony
4. Sun Of Nothing*
5. Ants of the Sky*
6. Prequel to the Sequel
7. Viridian
8. White Walls*
*Songs too long for Youtube upload limit, you'll have to do a bit of searching for the rest.

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