It’s been almost 5 years since progressive metalcore band Reflections released their album The Color Clear. Poised to be the album that launched the Minnesota-based band into the stratosphere, the band unfortunately went on an indefinite hiatus after. This was very unfortunate, as after two solid albums, The Color Clear showed improvement on all fronts. From a huge vocal performance by vocalist Jake Wolf to an impressive array of stylistic diversity, Reflections were really onto something with that album! The band re-emerged in December with the single “From Nothing”, and now the band is back from the brink with their 4th full-length album, Willow.
While the album sacrifices some of the previous record’s versatility and diversity, you have to admire the way Reflections stack riff on top of heavy riff throughout the album’s 40 minute runtime. While more musical diversity (remember how good the post-black metal influences on “Amulet” were?) would be welcomed here, one listen to tracks like “From Nothing” and “Samsara” show Reflections haven’t lost inspiration.
Oppressively heavy most of the way through, it’s a miracle this album even exists. While it’s unclear what the future holds for Reflections, there is plenty of compelling content throughout to remind you of why you fell in love with the band in the first place.
