Fragment Soul – Galois Paradox
Fragment Soul – Galois Paradox
WormHole Death
Release Date: 23/02/24
Running Time: 27:40
Review by Oli Gonzalez
9/10
Paradoxical. Intriguing. Introspective. All words I’d use to describe “Galois Paradox” , the upcoming album by Fragment Soul. A band with a title that’s a paradox in itself; how can a metaphysical entity have fragments after all? Philosophical examinations aside, the band with members hailing from both Greece and Canada have promised an album that will “linger in your heart and mind long after the final note has faded”. They weren’t lying. They delivered. I’m not going to forget this in a hurry. An unknown entity to me, I had briefly checked out their previous release “Axiom Of Choice”. Their gothic progressive sound features guitars and pianos as the principle melodic focus, with the dual vocal attack of Tamara and Marc being simply an aesthetic masterpiece. I could not wait to get into their latest soon-to-be-released record!
So, back to the beginning. Why did I chose those 3 words?
Introspective. “Galois Paradox” will certainly force you to get in touch with your emotional side, diving deep into your psyche and begin to uncover feelings that you never knew were there! ‘All That I Despise’ in particular will pull you in all directions, unsure whether you will want to smile or cry. Like a vacuum, you’ll be unable to escape this, an overwhelming juggernaut that is as equally as breath taking as it is awe inspiring. To illustrate further, listen to ‘This Empty Dream’ then tell me the sublime vocals of Tamara and the spinechilling piano arrangement here are anything other than sheerly heart wrenching! Working in deluxe synergy, each note is curated and deployed for maximal impact, whilst each breath and vocal utterance is dripping with nothing but pure primitive human emotion!
What is a paradox to me here is how such an arrangement can stir up so many contrasting emotions in you simultaneously. Such an emotional piece can make you smile in admiration whilst also becoming misty eyed and close to bursting at the seams. How can a piece designed to drain you of all serotonin and endorphins also simultaneously be such a pleasure to listen to and be so uplifting? How can something so seemingly gentle and delicate be as heavy as the weight of one thousands suns? These are questions that I can’t really answer. Which is why I find Fragment Soul so intriguing; how there’s a rich understanding of human psychology within their ranks and blatant evidence of sheer compositional genius. All of this cannot be possible without top tier production values. I’m curious to know how the album was produced, because it truly is perfect in this instance! Every instrument and voice gets all the admiration and attention they crave in order to shine in the mix. We seldom see any needlessly complex melodic patterns or techniques. Just simple brutally effective notes and passages optimised for maximal feeling and sentiment. A production clinic. I haven’t really described the individual songs in detail. Instead, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts here and ‘Galois Paradox’ is an experience to be enjoyed from start to finish in it’s entirety! Let that wave of glorious gothic goodness glide over and consume you.
So, that’s my take. My question to you; on the 23rd February, what words will you use to describe your experience of ‘Galois Paradox’ when it reaches the market?
TRACKLISTING:
01. Eternal Night in Death
02. All That I Despise
03. The Pain Ceased
04. A Faceless God
05. This Empty Dream
LINE-UP:
Marc – Vocals
Tamara – Vocals
Jimmy – Guitar
Achilleas – Piano/keys
Spiros – Bass
Stefanos – Drums
LINKS
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