Theory in Practice – Crescendo Dezign (Self-Released)
Thursday, 12th January 2017
Perhaps it was all the time away that reignited the spark, but Theory in Practice have rapidly returned with more material since the two-song single, Evolving Transhumanism, which was released last fall. One’s never going to argue about more Theory in Practice, particularly when their older albums have held up so well, and the Transhumanism single showed just how much the band was missed in their leave.
One of the leaders of European technical death metal before it became more widespread, they’ve managed to keep a more unique approach and there’s a stark difference in the term “technical death metal” as it applies to Theory in Practice. It’s not overtly “techy” and soulless, but rather a combination of several working parts – most importantly focused on actual “song” writing. The riffing is intricate, and in combination with some of the higher speeds the band can get to, makes for songs that keep a balance of precision yet memorable tones. More importantly, the band isn’t content to simply rehash their old formula and you can hear some tweaking to the rather recognizable TiP formula. One of the more obvious pieces here is that of clean vocals in a few spots, which are done well and add to the song without overdoing it or becoming cliché. Some added groove helps to change it up a bit as well, and some songs show some spurts of melody without compromising the thrashy and tech-filled landscape (see “Synchronized Emptiness” or “Thermodynamic Process”).
For those who may not have been around in Theory in Practice’s heyday, Crescendo Dezign should work as a fantastic introduction to a more underappreciated act. For those already familiar with the band, expect the usual level of technical finesse with a few added modern refinements that only enhance the band’s sound. Let’s hope this productivity streak continues and we see a full-length sometime in the future. This is death metal that should be able to be enjoyed by a wide variety of listeners.
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