Schemata Theory
We were recently contacted by Schemata Theory, a 6 piece metal band from Reading who have recently released their album, Dry Lung Rhetoric. Being the lovely folks they are, the guys decided that the best way to get their music out there was to release it for streaming on youtube (link below), meaning the world can check it out. Lead singer Myles says that ‘one of the goals of releasing the album like this is to demonstrate a new way of marketing music in these ever changing digital times. Many bands are constantly criticising piracy, and how it is killing off the industry. My belief is that it is only killing off those not willing to adapt’ – fighting words indeed! Seeing as they’d been good enough to make it available, I thought we should check things out to see what we thought!
As A Dark Dawn sets things in motion, we’re led into the track through a soaring lead line before a softer acoustic line takes over, the mix forming something which builds the anticipation and gets you firmly involved. Strings and guitars fill your ears as the track continues to build around you, the sound seeming to grow throughout the track as more and more elements are introduced and laid down in front of you. Building and building, this intro track leads us directly into Perish Or Prevail, the mix suddenly picking up pace and launching us into a full on aural assault full of pounding drums, roaring vocals and hammering bass lines – it’s fast paced, in your face, and oh so good to hear. Powerful from the word go, this track is the final revelation of the bands style, showing us what we’re in for with the album and letting us know that there are still bands out there doing proper loud, and doing it well! Despite the all out approach, the guys have managed to incorporate a real sense of melody into the music, allowing you to connect with what you’re hearing whilst at the same time, loving the distorted power.
Drones continues this approach further, once again launching us into a melee of rolling drums, hard hitting vocals and a bass heavy backing melody. To me, this is the sort of track which is going to find its full potential on the live scene, it’s got that pace that will get pits moving whilst at the same time, offering up enough hooks to keep people listening, wanting more and singing along to the chorus – a winning track on the album for sure, and one to make sure you check out. Leading on to Emergence, we’re once again smashed in the face with a rolling mix of hammering guitar lines and intricate lead notes, the mix demonstrating not only the power of the band, but also their ability to use intricacies within their music which show off the serious amount of skill within the band. As the vocals kick in and the mix slows down, this becomes another head banging classic of a track, the sort of thing that fans are going to beg for live, the sort of track which has the potential to be a breakthrough for the band.
Moving through A Complex Slate (official video below), Six Into Three, Shedding Skin, Crisis Unveiled and Your Belief the album continues to offer up high point after high point, each track showcasing the style and ability of the band keeping us listening and interested. Even going so far as to throw in some darkened piano lines for Your Belief, the album seems to move from hard hitting pure metal through to more progressive rock, each track offering up a unique take and each track trying to better the one before it. A Brighter Future marks another serious high point though, and a point to make sure you check out. Soft acoustic guitar lines pave the way into the track, opening the doors for a return to the opening moments of the album, combining the soft guitar with another soaring lead line to once again, ensure we’re still there, still listening, and still wanting more. Acting as another intro track for the final moments of The Final Breath, it would be unfair to say they saved the best for last but hell, they gave it a damned good go. The closing track here is another one packed with venom, power and distortion, closing on a high and leaving you knowing that was one hell of a ride! The final track comes in at nearly 9 minutes long, but throughout it once again manages to push boundaries, make you question what you thought you knew, and leave you happy in the knowledge that you’ve just witnessed something pretty damned epic!
Schemata Theory haven’t just put together an album here, they’ve put together something which is going to be played over and over again, something which will get new fans on board, and something which will stand these guys in awesome stead moving forwards from here. Definitely a band I want to see more from over the coming year, and one I would highly recommend you check out.
To find out more about Schemata Theory, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Check out the album for yourself HERE.
Check out the video to A Complex State below.
Words: Dave Nicholls
As A Dark Dawn sets things in motion, we’re led into the track through a soaring lead line before a softer acoustic line takes over, the mix forming something which builds the anticipation and gets you firmly involved. Strings and guitars fill your ears as the track continues to build around you, the sound seeming to grow throughout the track as more and more elements are introduced and laid down in front of you. Building and building, this intro track leads us directly into Perish Or Prevail, the mix suddenly picking up pace and launching us into a full on aural assault full of pounding drums, roaring vocals and hammering bass lines – it’s fast paced, in your face, and oh so good to hear. Powerful from the word go, this track is the final revelation of the bands style, showing us what we’re in for with the album and letting us know that there are still bands out there doing proper loud, and doing it well! Despite the all out approach, the guys have managed to incorporate a real sense of melody into the music, allowing you to connect with what you’re hearing whilst at the same time, loving the distorted power.
Drones continues this approach further, once again launching us into a melee of rolling drums, hard hitting vocals and a bass heavy backing melody. To me, this is the sort of track which is going to find its full potential on the live scene, it’s got that pace that will get pits moving whilst at the same time, offering up enough hooks to keep people listening, wanting more and singing along to the chorus – a winning track on the album for sure, and one to make sure you check out. Leading on to Emergence, we’re once again smashed in the face with a rolling mix of hammering guitar lines and intricate lead notes, the mix demonstrating not only the power of the band, but also their ability to use intricacies within their music which show off the serious amount of skill within the band. As the vocals kick in and the mix slows down, this becomes another head banging classic of a track, the sort of thing that fans are going to beg for live, the sort of track which has the potential to be a breakthrough for the band.
Moving through A Complex Slate (official video below), Six Into Three, Shedding Skin, Crisis Unveiled and Your Belief the album continues to offer up high point after high point, each track showcasing the style and ability of the band keeping us listening and interested. Even going so far as to throw in some darkened piano lines for Your Belief, the album seems to move from hard hitting pure metal through to more progressive rock, each track offering up a unique take and each track trying to better the one before it. A Brighter Future marks another serious high point though, and a point to make sure you check out. Soft acoustic guitar lines pave the way into the track, opening the doors for a return to the opening moments of the album, combining the soft guitar with another soaring lead line to once again, ensure we’re still there, still listening, and still wanting more. Acting as another intro track for the final moments of The Final Breath, it would be unfair to say they saved the best for last but hell, they gave it a damned good go. The closing track here is another one packed with venom, power and distortion, closing on a high and leaving you knowing that was one hell of a ride! The final track comes in at nearly 9 minutes long, but throughout it once again manages to push boundaries, make you question what you thought you knew, and leave you happy in the knowledge that you’ve just witnessed something pretty damned epic!
Schemata Theory haven’t just put together an album here, they’ve put together something which is going to be played over and over again, something which will get new fans on board, and something which will stand these guys in awesome stead moving forwards from here. Definitely a band I want to see more from over the coming year, and one I would highly recommend you check out.
To find out more about Schemata Theory, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Check out the album for yourself HERE.
Check out the video to A Complex State below.
Words: Dave Nicholls
