SYNAPSE

(FRANCE)

SINGULARITIES

(2021)
LABEL:

AUTRE LABEL

GENRE:

PROGRESSIVE METAL

/ PROGRESSIVE ROCK
TAGS:
Technical
"First album of the band Synapse, "Singularities" contains only brilliant tracks by their melodic qualities and their mastery of interpretation. The revelation of this year in the progressive rock/metal category maybe."
NUNO777 (21.01.2022)  
4/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s) Nudge
The members of Synapse all met in a jazz school and started by specializing in covers before embarking on the composition of an EP entitled "Impulse" in 2019. Two years later the four-piece collective takes it a step further with their debut LP "Singularities" surrounded by professionals like Pierre Danel (Kadinja) from Axone studio.

Although they come from the jazz theory, the musicians claim different musical universes. It's quite natural that the melting pot in which the elements that unite them is progressive music, under its double obedience of rock and metal. This is how the record starts with a first track, 'Lost By Design', launched by a thundering riff and virtuoso instrumental sequences, which serves as a demonstration of the influences of the combo (Dream Theater, Haken or Leprous) followed by 'Roam' which shows a more rock facet, more luminous, close to Rush and even A.C.T. in the range of the chorus' voices. Fans will recognize a familiar ecosystem that will give them confidence to tackle the next part.

The record is launched in the best conditions by these two solid titles which however do not reveal yet the whole personality of the band. This one appears little by little thereafter, first and foremost in the quality of the melodies and particularly in the choruses. They are all more endearing the ones than the others, showing more roughness ('3000'), harmonic complexity by the intertwining of the voices ('Strenght By Numbers', 'It's Only Cries') or finesse (the last delicate track 'Human Naiveté') but being always perfectly brought and totally adequate to the global balance of the tracks.

Listening carefully to the record also reveals Synapse's ability to write demanding and technical music that can be perfectly assimilated and appreciated from the first listen. There are however many instrumental sequences that take the listener in various directions and full of relief (the epic introduction of 'Strenght By Numbers') but these do not extend beyond the reasonable ('Lost By Design', 'Roam', the guitar-piano unison of 'Brand New Sky'), jazz tones but without snobbery and intelligently integrated (the breathtaking setting of 'It's Only Cries') and even radical contrasts between darkness and brightness ('The End Of The Line') and bipolar moods (the raging verses and the smooth choruses of 'Rage').

Of course, this first record of Synapse still carries some traces of its major influences (we can hear here and there some Dream Theater and more precisely "Awake" in the title 'Rage' or some Haken in the verses of 'Rage' or the beginning of 'It's Only Cries'). Moreover, the 90's style production will not please all the ears, especially the fans of modern rendering. But we have to admit that these are details in comparison with the quality of this varied, exciting, melodically brilliant and technically impressive album. "Singularities" is a discovery that highlights the potential of a very promising band that should be talked about in the future. 
- Official website
SIMILAR BANDS:
DREAM THEATER, A.C.T., RUSH, LEPROUS, HAKEN

TRACK LISTING:
01. Lost By Design
02. Roam
03. The End Of The Line
04. Rage
05. 3000
06. Brand New Sky
07. It's Only Cries
08. Strength By Numbers
09. Human Naiveté

LINEUP:
Alex Sacleux: Guitares
Carlos Bardonnet: Batterie
Sacha Le Roy: Basse
Thomas Valentin: Chant
   
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READERS
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LAST NEWS
SYNAPSE: New video
 
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DANIELE MAZZA: Immortals (2021)
PROGRESSIVE ROCK - Symphony, rock opera, more surely film music, "Immortals" combines all these elements, mixing classical, metal and acoustic music for a successful imaginary journey.
ETERNAL FLIGHT: Survive (2021)
MELODIC METAL - Eternal Flight pays a tribute to the power metal of the 90s by giving it back its letters of nobility. Something to delight the nostalgic of the genre!
 
 
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AUTRE LABEL / PROGRESSIVE METAL
 
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