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Anuryzm: All Is Not For All

Having completely missed the Worm's Eye View debut from Lebanese, but now Abu Dhabi based progressive metal outfit Anuryzm, album number two, All Is Not For All, is my introduction – and a mighty fine greeting it is too. Less blatantly Middle Eastern than many of the bands beginning to come from this region of the world, Anuryzm instead infuse the merest hints of Oriental Metal into a varied framework which incorporates a host of expected prog metalisms alongside thrash expulsions and the occasional nod to the death scene; although more vocally than musically. For the main though, singer Nadeem Michel Bibby is just that, a singer and skilled one at that, a soaring high end met with a raspy deep resonance and that occasional and convincing growl. However singling out one band member over another would be unfair, for the strength of All Is Not For All, is that all in attendance bring all their prowess to the party. Guitarist John Bakhos darts from killer riffage to delicate acoustic intricacy, while keyboard player Uri Dijk (Textures & Ethereal) punctuates and pierces with some immensely tasteful interjections, driving songs on, setting atmospheres and laying foundations, while drummer Charlie Zeleny (Whiplash) walks the thin line between busy and unobtrusive with a real sense of flair and consideration. Add in that the bassist on this album is a certain Michael LePond (Symphony X), and you don't need me to tell you that the expansive bottom end these songs possess is hugely impressive. Something the contribution from three times Grammy award winning audio mastering engineer, Bob Katz, highlights to the full.

However what makes an equal, if not greater, impact is the variance on show, "The Challenger" bristling with metallic intent, "Ocean's Apart" a considered, at times fragile, thing of beauty where Christopher James (son of Charlie) Chaplin adds orchestral strings in quite stunning fashion. "Humanoid" however decides to head down the overtly prog metal path, purposefully strident keyboards reminding of Threshold, before towering guitars take things in a far heavier direction, gutturals sealing the deal. Interestingly with such fiery ebullience often on show, "Mineral" opens the album atmospherically and enigmatically, the slow build with layered backing vocals (courtesy of Mitiadis Kyvernitis) proving utterly irresistible, before the tumultuous prog metal of "Full Agonist" sets a different scene entirely. All the while the lyrical content darts from eclectic themes such as 'humbleness, nanotech, illness, astral projection, extraterrestrial encounters, love, longing and remorse, third culture upbringing, displacement and Japanese warrior code (Bushido)...'. Your run of the mill swords and sorcery, or baby, baby, baby, this is not.

Recent years have shown us that geography is no longer an indicator to musical style, or standard and Anuryzm prove once more that heavy, detailed music of the highest order is no longer purely the preserve of the UK/US/Euro scene. It's all the better for it.


Track Listing
1. Mineral
2. Full Agonist
3. Humanoid
4. Depolarized
5. The Challenger
6. Oceans Apart
7. All Is Not for All
8. 199X
9. Impermanence
10. Perispirit

Added: August 15th 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Anuryzm on Facebook
Hits: 2016
Language: english

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