Album Review: Between the Buried and Me - 'The Parallax II: Future Sequence'

The convenient albeit premature opinion would automatically suggest we slap a 10/10 or ‘perfect score’ on anything Between the Buried and Me presents. While it’s usually warranted and a glowing endorsement would hardly surprise, it’s important to differentiate between hype and anticipation and what is actually presented.

Between the Buried and Me (or BTBAM for abbreviated sake) are one of those rare bands that inject new motivations, new inspirations and new avenues into a genre.

Sixth studio album ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence’ is arguably unassuming. This album has dropped in unusually quiet fashion. However, this seems fitting. It’s a ‘let the music do the talking’ mentality that prevails. BTBAM don’t need people to necessarily know how good they are, the fact they are competent and confident musicians is solace enough.

BTBAM don’t write singles. They don’t write radio accessible tracks. Similarly, each album is one continuous listen. A musical journey if you will?

‘Goodbye to Everything’ is dreamy, ambient and melodic. It’s inviting and provides a platform for the extended play. It’s calm yet brief, with poignant phrases such as “open your eyes” and “goodbye to everything” symptomatic of a band that wants to extend the musical barriers at every point and re-define elements of their already vast style.

‘Astral Body’ is relatively short by BTBAM’s standards, but the opening is just prog in every possible way. Think Virgil Donati drawing on his enduring Dream Theater fondness and the listener is beginning to grasp things.

‘Lay Your Ghosts to Rest’ is heavier with Blake Richardson’s piecing china prominent early, with Tommy Rogers trading the melodic crooning for deep bellows. The interesting point with BTBAM when given 10 minutes to explore a track is the fact the mood changes so often throughout.

‘Telos’ is another signature sounding track but at times feels like it’s going through the motions. There are small moments on this release that feel a little drawn out but it's only a small concern. There are the usual interludes. Tracks such as ‘Melting City’ keep the flow. ‘Goodbye to Everything Reprise’ ties things up. The listener is cascaded through BTBAM’s soundscape, with the concluding track putting a fitting full stop on the full-length.

‘The Great Misdirect’ was solid, but ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence’ seems a more fitting successor to 2007’s ‘Colors’.

Between the Buried and Me are a band you’d always put your unconditional trust in because you know they’re always going to come through. ‘The Parallax II: Future Sequence’ is not perfect but it’s not far off either. Another exercise in diversity and progression right here.

1. Goodbye to Everything

2. Astral Body

3. Lay Your Ghosts to Rest

4. Autumn

5. Extremophile Elite

6. Parallax

7. The Black Box

8. Telos

9. Bloom

10. Melting City

11. Silent Fight Parliament

12. Goodbye to Everything Reprise