Certain albums and bands have that “it” factor. It’s often established on a debut record, where a promising band’s songwriting tends to shine above their peers. Progressive metal darlings The Contortionist surely qualify as a band that continues to evolve and transcend typical genre conventions with each record. While there is a stark difference between last year’s Clairvoyant and 2010’s landmark debut full-length Exoplanet, it’s the latter album that set the stage for much of today’s progressive-leaning music. Exoplanet certainly isn’t the only album that flies under that banner, but 8 years after its initial release, it’s certainly an album that bears revisiting.
What sets Exoplanet apart from its peers at the time is a dedication to both great songwriting and obvious musical talent. Vocalist Jonathan Carpenter (who left the band after Intrinsic) proves adept at both throat-shredding low-end and serene singing – usually in the same song. It’s highly impressive to be able to pull that duality off, and also stunning is the number of left-field turns Exoplanet makes as a whole. Cynic-influenced keyboard leads coalesce with punishing breakdowns that seem to come out of nowhere, and while the band’s deathcore influences are still present, the album as a whole signaled what The Contortionist would eventually become – an evolving, dynamic band that carries an understanding of melodic sensibilities that most bands just aren’t skilled at. Take the pulverizing breakdown halfway through “Vessel”, and contrast it with a more melodic, expansive track like the jazz-influenced “Contact”. It’s all very exceptional, really, and foreshadows the direction The Contortionist would later head in.
Possibly Exoplanet‘s best quality is the spine-chilling buildups and guitar solos on “Flourish” and “Oscillator”. Arguably the two best tracks on the album, the almost post-rock build-up and subsequent crash on both tracks is something truly amazing to behold. Robby and Joey Baca (guitar, drums respectively) show their obvious musical chops on these two tracks, knowing exactly when to scale back their efforts, and when to bludgeon you over the head with aggression – though the whole band is absolutely in sync on these more notable tracks.
The Contortionist are one of the few progressive metal bands who continue to evolve with each album, staying one step ahead of their peers. Though you could make a strong case for any of their 4 full-lengths to date being their overall superior body of work, it’s Exoplanet where their ambitions really influenced a legion of up and coming bands.
