This is the 2017 follow up to their amazing album, Language. I love this band. They are pushing the boundaries of Prog metal as well as pushing themselves creatively. It wasn’t until the arrival of vocalist, Mike Lessard from Last Chance To Reason, that things really started to explode creatively for the band. He added a whole new dimension, both live and in the studio, as his movements and energy are compelling to watch, and he has an angelic quality to his vocals.
This albums feels like a continuation from Language, with beautiful instrumental pieces like the awesomeness that is Monochrome (Passive), that opens the album, and killer songs like Reimagined, where Lessard’s vocals are just beautiful. Of course they can groove with the best of them, and the title track, Clairvoyant, has some killer off-time grooves and deep D-tuned epic-ness that I really love. If I’m pushed for a favourite track then I will go for Return To Earth, as it has everything and fills the Prog metal spectrum to the max.
Prog metal has moved on in huge strides over the last ten years. Dream Theater used to be seen as a benchmark of the genre and they have been overtaken somewhat by bands like The Contortionist, who are progressing musically (as the term suggests) and not standing still. The Contortionist are just a killer band with everyone playing at the top of their game, and I look forward to what comes next.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
