Tekhton - Alluvial
I gotta be honest whenever i hear the term "post-rock", i cringe. Something about a lot of bands that get that tag usually finished up sounding like some kind of watered down, alternative punk metal rock hybrid which sucks big time. The Dutch band Tekhton also get this tag quite a lot and that is a shame because if you are like me, you may be avoiding hearing the band for the fears i mentioned above. Tekhton are anything but lame, trendy and don't fit the post-rock tag at all in my opinion. Tekhton don't sound like anyone else despite some obvious influences and the band may have the best description of all for their music on their Myspace as they describe their style as Prog-Sludge, couldn't have put it better myself. The band's debut album "Summon the Core" was a satisfying chunk of down to earth Sludge Rock with a heavy side dose of thundering Doom Metal all mixed with a Progressive Rock element that is not that far removed from the likes of King Crimson and Van der Graaff Generator. While these prog-rock tendencies are subtle, they are even more evident on Alluvial and yet at the same time, sound more brutal than ever. The band also sound more focused with more emphasis on well-balanced song construction and arrangements. The guitar duo of Dirk and Ralph Evers sound tighter and more melodic than they did previously and there is also a more diverse approach to their playing on this album. The rhythm section of bass player Jurgen and drummer Marco Oostra sounds more technical and the vocals of Bert are stronger than before but this time around, he seems to have added more range to his vocal technique especially when it comes to melody. The album starts off with "Clove Hitch" that gets along its way after a brief acoustic melody. The track contains several throbbing Doom riffs, all of which are thick and rich with earthy grooves. "Tooth And Nail" follows with what sounds like Sabbath and Saint Vitus jamming together in a pot-smoke filled bar. Classic Doom meets Progressive Rock chord progressions with some unique rhythmical timings twist and turn and keeps you guessing as to where will the song go next, a awesome track and a major highlight of the disc. The album wanders a little bit off track for me at this point till you get to "All Is Glory". This tune is a massive piece of stunning work with intricate guitar melodies and a throbbing groove that is carried by the bass and drums. Sounding like a Space Rock version of Rwake in a way, "All Is Glory" is a magical slab of Sludge Metal and is brought to a even higher level with the vocal performance which is brilliant in its rough but precise delivery. When you get to "Auric Revelations", you are treated to a mid-tempo kind of Electric Wizard Doom groove and its another keeper of a track and if that is not earth-shaking enough, the next track "Tectonic Mass" is properly the heaviest track on the album. With massive chords and a pulverizing dirge-filled arrangement of beat changes and 70's inspired squealing guitar solos. Its very old-school in its approach and the use of sampled voices gives the track a unique vibe. "011712" has the stench of Black Sabbath all over it in the beginning before you are bombarded by a sequence of riffing parts that fill out the instrumental track, another highlight of the disc right here. The only weak parts of the album for me is the final two tracks, "The Return of Viracocha" and the synth filled "90° S". While these two tracks are high in musical ideas, they spoiled the flow of the album for me. Overall though, this is a very impressive album that is rich in mood changes and musical variety while remaining seriously heavy. Tekhton are a band that bring something new to the Doom Metal table once again, just don't get put off with that "post-rock" tag. Stunning.