Mask Of Prospero - Longing

Modern metallic sounds are the specialty of Mask Of Prospero. The quintet, founded in Athens, Greece in 2014, understands progressives, settled in the broadest sense between metalcore, djent and progressive metal. Their second album strives for a holistic artistic approach that transports social disconnection and introversion into a dark, moody atmosphere. This also runs through the artwork and the title: “Nostalgia” is a Welsh term that describes a feeling somewhere between longing, homesickness and grief after a loss.

A song like “Hourglass” impressively shows how far Mask Of Prospero have come. Five multi-layered, complex and yet catchy minutes spread out powerfully and abruptly before more small and large subtleties find their way into the wild, unorthodox mix. Roaring aggressiveness with a groove impact in the verses, plus a dark and at the same time sublime hymn in the chorus, some djent in the instrumental interludes and subtle neo-prog art in the late phase – the sum of the individual parts is fun, because familiar ingredients are used here skilfully rearranged.

“Lament”, on the other hand, scores with a dark atmosphere and high-pitched vocals, which sometimes go in the direction of a head voice. Mask Of Prospero turn their approach completely upside down, whereby the reduced passages with rare screams plagued by pain are particularly good. In the main part, Muse meet a kind of core semi-ballad, which works surprisingly well. The following “Kyma” ventures further into such balladesque realms, drum machine and anxiety included. Of course, this is out of the ordinary, but looking at the whole work it is just as fun as the rough, clumsy start “Divided”, whose fragile feeling for the melody is worked out in a roundabout way.

In fact, Mask Of Prospero make another huge leap forward here, which you can only (deservedly) celebrate. The more pronounced Prog approaches are reminiscent of Leprous in the best sense of the word, younger Bury Tomorrow shimmer through all around, accompanied by complex and crazy heaviness. “Hiraeth” tears down the last limits and dares more in the best sense of the word. Thrilling atmosphere, successful experiments and wholesome sensitivity – something is brewing.

Rating: 8/10

Available from: 01/27/2022
Available from: ViciSolum Productions / Sound Pollution (Rough Trade)

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