![]() Then again, a sequel rarely pulls an Empire Strikes Back. The end result is that “Colors II” is the rare sequel album that delivers satisfaction for the devoted fans of the original. To BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME‘s credit - save for a few nods here and there - the band doesn’t try for a pure mechanical replication of past glories. The surprise factor of a band beginning its progression from a collection of solid-but-scattered musical parts to a genuinely great act is obviously hard to replicate nearly twenty years into a career. Whilst I am fan of the band, I can see how divisive they can be…BUT… this is a collection of enjoyable, clever, dense, impregnable, blisteringly heavy, genre splitting songs that I will be listening to and enjoying for years to come. BTBAM are a class apart within the scene to which they are often lumped into (progressive metal) in both their playing (obviously exemplary), song structures but most importantly, the ideas that the band have developed and melded into the songs featured here on Colors II. There is so much goodness within this album, so many clever, inventive, and skilful musical ideas that it does present somewhat of an overwhelming experience for the listener, which as a result it may well take fifty listens before it makes total sense. ![]() As such, it’s a remarkable addition to their discography, a deserving follow-up to Colors in particular, and almost certainly the best progressive metal album of 2021 thus far. While it doesn’t definitively surpass the band’s last few outings-The Parallax II remains their magnum opus-it more or less ranks alongside them. Perhaps more than any of its predecessors, it seems like the culmination of everything that came before it, fluidly incorporating virtually all of the quintet’s past specialties into a thoroughly thrilling and rewarding new venture. 4.5/5įor over a decade, Between the Buried and Me have crafted one extraordinary journey after another, and Colors II is no exception. It’s the only album to ever recapture Colors’ brand of restlessness, reaffirming that BTBAM are once-in-a-lifetime masterminds. In being so loyal to the structure of what’s come before, Colors II doesn’t reinvent progressive metal like its predecessor, but by all other metrics, it lives up to its lineage. This year's "Colors II" doesn't quite hit the refreshing heights of its predecessor, but it is a strong statement from a band comfortably acknowledging its past, while still finding a few new tricks to keep pushing their sound forward nearly twenty years into its existence. 9.0/10Ĭolors II is a worthy sequel yet and its napalm-charged twists and turns make for another epic odyssey of genre-bending mayhem – one that solidifies the band’s place amongst the top ranks and invites further insanity on their next great outing. With just as much clever and varied songwriting, and even more bangers than first time round, this might even pip the first Colors album. The range of imagination on this album is something that must truly be heard to be believed, and the range of musicianship is even more impressive. Once again, this band has strayed close to gimmicks, experimenting to the point of ridicule – but they save it every time, always staying on the right side of taste and class. This is a remarkable album that shows that the saying "The second parts were never good" is sometimes wrong, showing us that Between the Buried and Me is very aware of that capacity for reinvention and knowing how to change and modify its sound, without betraying their principles and foundations that have given them prestige over the years. ![]() They’ve only fortified that commitment on its 2021 sequel, Colors II (Sumerian Records). If part one marked Between The Buried And Me as one of the best progressive metal bands out there, part two confirms beyond doubt that they’re also one of the most important.īetween The Buried and Me built their influential 2007 album, Colors, on an unwavering commitment to artistic integrity. 9.5Ĭome 20th August, Colours II will finally be unveiled, and will surely be received with the same acclaim as its predecessor. With ‘Colors II’ that have proven that even ten full-length albums into their career, they are still willing to push themselves and their listeners, and have crafted one of the most compelling, and complete albums of their career. ![]() Reviews are starting to come out for Colors II!īetween The Buried and Me have once again thrown down the gauntlet to the rest of the more extreme end of the progressive metal community, challenging other bands to never rest on their past, and keep looking forward.
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