Band:	Universe217
Album:	Familiar Places
Style:	Experimental doom metal
Release date:	2011
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. Sorcerer Of Light
02. Insane
03. City
04. Seek
05. TV Lovers
06. Nothing
07. Prey

Universe217 is a band hailing from Greece and having been around for about 6 years the time has come for their second piece of art after the self-titled debut and one EP. Once again the cover artwork plays its role as a magnet, an obscure figure in the midst of warm colors playing tricks on your imagination. But a cover is only the first impression an album leaves to the listener, although it's still a very important factor and part of the band's work at the same time. So let's dive in the musical planet of Universe217.

Familiar Places is quite a complex release, but hell, no, don't expect exaggerating progressive rock/metal over-abused instrumentations. Simplistic ideas tend to forge an affected scenery depicted on a sound canvas whose colors start floating all over the place from a moment and on. The complexity lies in the way Universe217 blend together all those ideas and FX and present them as a whole from the very first until the very last breath of the album. There's a doom sensation lurking, the overall tempo ranges from low to mid velocities and the whole philosophy reflects an internal experimentation that is not willing to cease. And then take into consideration early Beyond Dawn's calmest and most atmospheric moments, Green Carnation's Journey To The End Of The World's inner passages, later In The Woods... and of course some ambient/post caresses and down tempo, dark alternative rock ideas; then the landscape becomes more clear.

Still, you cannot refer to this band as a copycat of the aforementioned bands and/or influences, there's something quite personal and gently devouring in here coming your way. Tania's interpretation is majestic and ever-expanding, heart-rending and at the same time threatening in the most appealing way, something like an eclipse of the sun, a nowadays Cassandra in spiritual confrontation with Diamanda Galas having tea with Anneke Van Giersbergen. The guitars whether they move upon a doom-oriented riffing pathway, present a groovier edge or accompany in down-tempo dissonant chords perform an utterly atmosphere-evoking role. A big plus, among various FX, keyboard infusions and flirting sounds from various instruments, has to be the trumpet whenever it makes its kind appearance; you'd never think a rose's petal would hurt more than the thorn. As for the rhythm section, it's in the right place, neither getting lost in the production nor getting on top, accompanying the rest of the band in the most appropriate manner, leaving here and there some very interesting ideas, proving that they' re not just lending groove in the compositions but they are an important part of them.

Concluding, Familiar Places is a masterpiece, a little 30-minute diamond lying at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, waiting for you to bring it to the surface. Keep in mind that you'll require enough amounts of oxygen despite its not so lengthy duration, a sense of drowning is inevitable; manic depression never sounded so tempting before.