27th April 2023

Review: “Laws of Entropy” by Redshift

“Being a young man with the world at your feet, thinking you can live the life you want and then realising it’s not as easy and giving into the struggles and pressures of life, suffering a mental breakdown, eventually asking for help and then dying. Each song is a step in this journey. The 21 minute closer deals with all these themes from start to finish” ~ Redshift

Conceived as a project in 2017 the emergence of Bath based Progressive Metal trio Redshift began with their critically acclaimed debut album “Cataclysm” in 2019, citing influences in Between The Buried and Me, Rush and Dream Theater. A concept record which tells the tale of a devastating apocalyptic event with a captivating lyrical narrative around themes of honour and love, it make for a bold and brave place to begin their journey and is notably mastered by Jamie King (The Contortionist, Artificial Language, Raider). Now returning four years on, Liam Fear (vocals, keyboards, bass), Joshua Boniface (guitar) and Jack Camp (drums) have composed a second offering, which promises to follow in its footsteps as a concept album exploring the journey through life from birth to death…

Having set the expectation levels high with their debut album, this new offering begins in thunderous fashion with the stomp laden opening riffs of “Birth” which build with 8-bit nostalgia thanks to a fleeting moment of Nintendo-core synth. Rich and textured, fleeting odd time signatures and nuanced moments of orchestration inject vibrancy before the funky almost Jazz Metal infusions of the mid section, not to mention the brutal change up from aching clean vocals that are a little on the high pitched side to full throated uncleans for a verse that absolutely slaps. The drums are a little higher in the mix than would be the genre norm but that works incredibly well here as the patterns from Camp are sheer class and testament to years spent learning his trade in the practice room.

A shift in energy and dynamic for “Discovery” gives us something with a fleeting melancholic air before it breaks into odd time signatures and diverse rhythms for an extended introduction that keeps you on your toes, challenging the lister in the best possible way. There is also a sense of the theatrical with the vocals as Fear switches between clean and unclean for different phrasings while having little moments of eclectic and eccentric style that are simply good clean fun. Synths before the solo are majestic and then the solo itself is an absolute face melter before a section of blast beats which is simply incredible; all put together with slick transitions and a free thinking nature that means they don’t have to stick to well worn paths. Each song isn’t simply a song but a musical movement with a toughly enjoyable flow.

“Civilisation” picks up the pace with the synths impersonating a Hammond organ in glorious style, the band continuing to paint in light and shade in equal measure, however cleverly the extremes have pushed out so the darker moments are like swirling storm clouds overhead. Funky Faith No More like bass lines rise to the surface in the centre, the soaring guitar work from Boniface that follows confirming that the band aren’t afraid to take on extended instrumental sections. How on earth they incorporated a breakdown section into this… lets just say it’s immense and incredibly well done.

After a holy trinity of epic grandeur, a song about the absurdity and the anxiety of an existential crisis in “Entropy” feels like an acid trip as lively piano and guitar work, playful with creepy fun fare vibes builds into smooth Jazz with random voices delivering quotes. Left field and hilariously good fun, it’s a cut which keeps you on the edge of the seat as it pulls in opposing directions on a white knuckle thrill ride that you don’t want to come to an end.

Rising like a Phoenix from the ashes of that, “Singularity” speaks of anxiety and the need for clarity with a surprisingly catchy chorus in a personal dive into emotional well being. While it is a more straight to the point piece, it still has time for a flamboyant solo and classy rhythmic finale to bring the house down in style.

As for “Blueshift“, well… a 21 minute magnum opus is a bold and brave undertaking but Redshift make it sound effortless as they take us on a journey that expands the horizons exponentially. As a trio they prove that anything is possible and there are no limits, borders or boundaries while affirming that variety is the spice of life. There isn’t a single experiment within the tune, let alone the album that doesn’t pay off handsomely. Some parts of the final cut actually feel like improvisations that the band recorded on the spot and you can imagine them letting loose in a jam room for hours on end without a break. “Laws of Entropy” is an unbridled Progressive Metal affair that is an absolute joy from start to finish, enthralling and captivating that appeals to the connoisseur. It should see them arriving on stages at places like Tech-Fest very very soon… [8.5/10]