Source – Emergence
Source – Emergence
Self Released
Release Date: 13/10/23
Running Time: 51:50
Review by Oli Gonzalez
8/10
Progressive rock. I’ll be honest. I’ve grown to really admire this experimental side of music and seeing how musicians can push boundaries from a creative standpoint. Which is why I was excited to check out North American power trio Source and their upcoming studio album Emergence, their fourth overall. The band have quite the touring pedigree, having supported the likes of In Flames! How many bands can say that?! The band promises to be for fans of A Perfect Circle, Tool, and Opeth. I wonder if we’ll be taken down the darker death metal route of Opeth, or on a relatively more melodic journey? Only time will tell.
The album starts with ‘Crack In The Shell’. Wow. That’s a wonderful start! A short one that barely pushes the two minute mark, this is truly a melodic masterclass. The combination of the soothing ethereal, almost Gregorian style chants and the aesthetic piano passage is divine. I love this. It got a rewind multiple times! This made me realise Source are here to do things their own way, no rigid formulas or song writing conventions. This was going to be great.
So, ‘Crack In The Shell’ is the highlight for me! No Doubt. From here on however, it does get a bit trickier to pick highlights. Not because the quality drops. More because of the length of the songs, the non-conventional structures, and the illusion of everything flowing seamlessly together. This album deserves and demands to be played in its entirety, from start to finish. The way albums should be written, a lost art it would seem. Which is why it is refreshing to see Source bring this back, where each song is as important as the last, and the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
With this being said, there’s clearly some high-level musicianship on display here. Being a power trio means there’s very little room for slack, especially in a live setting or mistakes and sloppiness will be exposed. This is where I find Source so interesting. At times, it seems like the three of them are playing completely separate songs and melodies. When I was listening to the guitar solo to ‘Emergence’, I did wonder if Benjamin just picked up his instrument and created this right on the fly there and then in the studio! Things feel so loose, improvised, and unstructured. Yet there’s still a sense of cohesion. We’re going to get to our destination, but we’re not necessarily going to take the same route to get there. This apparent lack of structure allows each instrument to truly express themselves however, which is what makes their sound so interesting. Very much like their key influence, Tool. Justin Chancellor – Tool’s famous bassist – often played his instrument like a guitar, being the lead instrument on some occasions. We can see evidence of this in Source, especially for ‘Vesica (The Path In)’ where Pascal’s bass takes the limelight in large parts of the song.
This is just one way the band would certainly appeal to Tool fans. The other is Benjamin’s stark resemblance to Maynard’s famous vocal tone. It’s almost as if they’re long-lost twins! That’s not to say he’s trying too hard to sound like the famous Tool vocalist either. Benjamin clearly has a talent to his vocals and it fits the vibe for the music perfectly.
Details matter, and I believe Source have done their homework for production. Everything sounds sharp, crisp, and mixed well. Nothing to add here.
Only really one criticism for me. With some songs hovering around the ten minute mark, it may be a tough sell for casual listeners and radio shows alike. However, this is one for prog rock and metal fans who are looking for something new to get their teeth into, especially those who prefer a more melodic and ambient feel. New fan right here!
TRACKLISTING:
01. Crack In The Shell
02. Emergence
03. Vesica (The Path In)
04. The Impulse
05. A Path Out
06. The Betrayal
07. Bitter
08. Snoodle Goo
09. Goose Noodle
10. Mandala
LINE-UP:
Benjamin Gleason – Vocals / Guitars / Keys
Justin Mirarck – Drums
Pascal Faurie – Bass
LINKS:
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