The Blue Nowhere is the 11th studio album from US progressive metal titans Between the Buried and Me, and follows their 2021 sequel to their most beloved album, Colors II. This is also the first album without rhythm guitarist Dustie Waring. As with most BtBaM albums, The Blue Nowhere is a long, dense, highly challenging listen as the band combines prog-metal, metalcore, pop, jazz, death metal, and just about every other musical style you could possibly imagine.
The album opens with "Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark", which takes the listener on a funky, poppy, heavy journey...it's one of their most eclectic songs yet. Tommy Rogers' clean vocals here are amazing, and the extreme vocals are added in quite nicely. There is tons of groove, the synths are well placed, and the mix of funky licks and complex, metal riffs works so well together. A great song to open up the album.
The crushing "God Terror" is up next, Tommy's screaming vocals and growls plowing through a crushing arrangement...this one is all aggression, but there's even some weird Devin Townsend styled weirdness going on here as well.
"Absent Thereafter" is classic BTBAM, with insanely complex prog-metal arrangement, the riffs are enormous, the drumming insane, and Tommy's gutteral wailing is off the chain. Paul Waggoner's lead guitar work is breathtaking...honestly, so far I don't miss the 2nd guitar at all. Some cool funky guitar licks thrown in as well around the halfway point, which are fun. It's a 10+ minute gem!
"Pause" is a short little proggy/ambient atmospheric vocal and synth piece...nicely done, and not just an interlude.
That leads into "Door #3", a massive juggernaut of a song, the riffs and huge, a blend of growls and clean vocals, with a neat little melodic middle section with acoustic guitar, beautiful electric guitar, soaring vocals, and then a pummeling finale.
"Mirador Uncoiled" is a short little classical-style interlude before a raging death metal finale, which leads right into the next track.
That track is "Psychomanteum" which is brutal death metal meets metalcore meets prog-metal, 11+ minutes of out of control zaniness and brutality. One minute you have raging death metal, the next you have some piano, then some Mr. Bungle styled weirdness, then some complex prog-metal, then some pop meets classical...what a ride.
Next up is "Slow Paranoia", and here's another track where BTBaM takes you to the circus, as they throw everything under the sun at you, with plenty of time changes, blazing passages of insane runs, some carnival music, some symnphonic prog, Tommy mixing up his soaring clean vocals with the screams, piano, synths, crushing riffs, tasty lead guitar...there's something for everyone here. Great track!
"The Blue Nowhere" is a gorgeous melodic track, with acoustic guitars, keys, wonderful melodic vocals, tasty lead guitars...this is progressive pop at its very best.
Closing the album is "Beautifully Human", with stunning acoustic guitar and keyboard soundscapes leading in Tommy's soaring vocal, along with intricate drumming, a nice symphonic arrangement, and a big sweeping finale.
You get two gorgeous numbers to close the album.
My first listen or two of this album, I didn't quite know what to think, but The Blue Nowhere quickly won me over. Yeah, there's a LOT going on here, and the blending of so many styles will no doubt be maddening for some, but I like that they have taken some real chances here, and the funk and pop elements really work for me amidst the standard BtBaM prog-metal bizarro world. Excellent stuff as always from the band that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Track Listing
1. "Things We Tell Ourselves in the Dark" 7:59
2. "God Terror" 6:41
3. "Absent Thereafter" 10:28
4. "Pause" 2:49
5. "Door #3" 5:58
6. "Mirador Uncoil" 0:52
7. "Psychomanteum" 11:12
8. "Slow Paranoia" 11:28
9. "The Blue Nowhere" 6:01
10. "Beautifully Human" 7:52
Total length: 71:20
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