Between The Buried & Me PARALLEX: HYPERSLEEP DIALOGUES

Personnel: Tommy Rogers (vocals, keyboards); Dustie Waring, Paul Waggoner (guitar); Blake Richardson (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixer: Jamie King.
Recording information: Metalworks Studios, Mississauga, Onario (12/13/2010-12/23/2010); Rattlebox Studios, Toronto, Ontario (12/13/2010-12/23/2010).
Enjoying their newfound freedom on Metal Blade, Between the Buried and Me recorded The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues as the first of two conceptual records. It's a short one, but even with a 30-minute running time, the EP cobbles together enough intricate twists and turns that it feels massive, and each of the three songs is an epic journey in precision. The concept plays out like a compact version of what System of a Down did on their Mezmerize/Hypnotize suite, combining wild signatures, scales, drastic genre shifts from one minute to the next, and syrupy vocals that erupt into roars. More than three songs of this caliber would be exhausting, so an intermission to break up this prog-metal opera feels necessary. Rogers, Waggoner, Waring, Briggs, and Richardson are at the top of their game, and couldn't seem much more adventurous on their instruments as they interweave virtuoso parts that barely seem humanly possible. Meanwhile, David Bottrill's dynamic production (his credits include King Crimson and Dream Theater) is perfectly suited, and only enhances the band's ever-intensifying talents. ~ Jason Lymangrover

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop