Third Ion - 13/8 Bit - review
Third Ion - 13/8 Bit - review
Tracklist
01. 13/8 Bit02. Capitol Spill
03. Zero Mass
04. Collapse
05. Particle Displacement Mechanism
06. The Kineticist
07. Time Lapse Beta
1 - Father Time Machine
2 - Nihilum
3 - Chronos Of Aether
08. Van Halien
A review by
Ag Fox July 25, 2015
There are usually three outcomes with such musical mashups. They could sound amazing and live up to the hype. On the other hand, it could end up like an effort by the musicians just to get some quick money using their fame. The third case is more curious, because while the music doesn't quite meet expectations based on the musicians' past careers, it's because they have created something that's completely different. Third Ion's 13/8 Bit definitely falls into the final category for me, which is why I initially did not like the album that much. Let's be honest, how can one's opinion on a piece of music not be influenced by the musicians' previous works which you're already familiar with? However, once I have gotten over that 13/8 Bit isn't quite what I had imagined, the positives have started the shine through, to the point where I look forward to the album being played again as my playlist goes through the cycle of other releases.
Fans of Spastic Ink, Blotted Science or maybe even Animals As Leaders should feel right at home here as the technical aspect evokes similar feelings within me along with the spacey/science theme, albeit with a more laid back attitude. 8 bit video-game sections are scattered here and there to set the band apart from the aforementioned acts, and while not exactly jaw-dropping, it does complement the music rather well since it becomes less noticeable the more I spin the record, but always pretty cool when I do hear them. The show-stopper though, is the fantastic vocals done by Tyler Gilbert. It might be an acquired taste for some, but the laid-back attitude mentioned earlier is mainly achieved via Tyler's soothing and soaring vocal delivery. In fact, it's hardly the most dynamic performance, but with all the technical instrumentation that's not always harmonised and even sounding disjointed at times, the almost monotonic and relaxed interpretation ties everything up neatly, becoming a potent juxtaposition that draws the listener back in.
13/8 Bit may be a challenging listen as it leans towards the more technical side of progressive metal rather than relying on memorable melodic hooks such as Arena and Threshold. It has, nonetheless avoided the common pitfalls of becoming a useless dry sounding show-off exercise, and instead have already created the band's own niche.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 7 |
Comments
Comments:
7
Visited by
112 users
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Posts: 5827  |
Posts: 5827
Devin Townsend? 8 bit? ... sold.
---- "Aah! The cat turned into a cat!" - Reimu Hakurei
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 Posts: 4367 |
Posts: 4367
^Yes, thats what I thought first as well. But even moreso, Spastic Ink and Blotted Science? Gawddamn! I need to check this out right now!
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 Posts: 11983 |
Posts: 11983
I was thinking more Into Eternity and Animals As Leaders. Still hooked though, I want to listen to this!
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 Posts: 64506 |
Posts: 64506
I just read review because I was bored, don't see anything special ... I don't think band ever be popular
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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 Posts: 2751 |
Posts: 2751
Really liking this album, thanks for turning me on to it!
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Posts: 76  |
Posts: 76
It's a damned solid album & I didnt even know it was a bunch of dudes from other bands.....hadn't even looked into it. Saw that the album was at progstreaming.com & listened to it & loved it ! For most peoples tastes you will likely need to enjoy progressive metal/ rock to enjoy this.
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