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"With “Where Mountains Hide,” Sometime In February establishes itself as one of the most compelling recent revelations in instrumental progressive metal."
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4/5
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In a progressive metal landscape saturated with virtuoso guitarists, Sometime In February arrives with “Where Mountains Hide” and sets the record straight. No, playing progressive instrumental metal isn't just about fast-paced solos; you also have to know how to tell a story. And that's precisely what this American trio does with disconcerting aplomb for a debut album.
The tone is set right from the opening track, “Palantir”: Tristan Auman, Scott Barber, and Morgan Johnson have a musical universe all their own. Their music intelligently blends djent, progressive metal, and sophisticated jazz-rock, drawing freely from a repertoire of perfectly digested influences, ranging from Plini to Dream Theater, Haken, and Animals As Leaders, to create a truly personal universe.
The album impresses with its ability to navigate between atmospheres without ever losing its thread. The band masters the art of contrast, navigating between melodic brilliance ('Phantom Sea') and raw power ('Bury You') with disarming fluidity, without ever falling into stylistic exercises or free displays, but taking great care to always remain consistent (the duets 'What Was Heard'/'What Was Said' and 'Homeworld I' and 'II').
Technically, it's impossible to fault Sometime In February. Auman's guitar shines as much for its virtuosity as for its expressiveness, and the rhythm section navigates complex time signatures with an ease that commands respect. In fact, the best proof of the trio's maturity is the presence on the album of prestigious guests such as Paul Waggoner and Dan Briggs from Between The Buried and Me, Rich Castillo on saxophone (the magnificent ‘The Bad Fight’) and Eric Guenther from The Contortionist.
While some passages sometimes suffer from a density of writing that detracts from the melodic clarity of certain tracks, this is a minor youthful flaw that will quickly be corrected in the future. Because whatever the case, Sometime In February stands out with “Where Mountains Hide” as one of the most compelling recent revelations in instrumental progressive metal. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
01. Palantir
02. Mourning Bird
03. The Bad Fight
04. Outside in
05. What Was Heard
06. What Was Said
07. Phantom Sea
08. Bury You
09. Homeworld I: Green Mountain
10. Homeworld II: Dislodged
11. Funeral House
LINEUP:
Morgan Johnson: Basse
Scott Barber: Batterie
Tristan Auman: Guitares
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