Impressive out of the gate with their debut album from 2022 Face the Storm, After Lapse from Spain waste no time in releasing a sophomore outing with Pathways. Expanding to a sextet through the addition of guitarists Miguel Angel Rueda and Ivan Marin, these musicians explore the vast playbook that melodic power/progressive metal offers. The results can be vivid, imaginative, reflective as well as modern in terms of versatility, atmosphere, and distinctiveness – allowing listeners to take deep dives into this set of material.
Open space often pays huge dividends when it comes to specific waves of sonic brilliance. “Clones” early on illustrates this aspect through its kaleidoscope of throwback keyboard tones from Pablo Sancha, the quick hitting fill passages of drummer Roberto Cappa all the way through to the softer, sultry vocal choices from Ruben Miranda which build into this uplifting harmony / robotic chorus to bridge segment set to mesmerize. Multiple instruments launch into a progressive cascade that soon can shift into this more streamlined effort – “Dust to Dust” containing some nifty AOR-ish background vocal harmonies as the Haken meets Pain of Salvation-like musical development captivates, the jazzy, classical-like instrumental sequences breathtaking in their virtuoso mastery. Latin percussive accents pop in through the bass / drum interplay to further develop a wider canvas to drive specific songs – while on the other side of the spectrum, some arrangements feature great light to heavier contrasts. “Walking By the Wire” is a prime example of the latter facet, its semi-ballad nature alluring next to some vibrant guitar parts, Ruben effective in his lower to higher register cadence. Tightly driven in nine songs at an economical 45:40 perfect vinyl-length timeframe, this does not diminish the impressive tempo shifts, time signature twists, or multi-level vocal/musical prowess on display.
Mature is an apt description for what After Lapse take into account for the songwriting and performances on Pathways. Expect melodic progressive metal that explores the emotional range one desires in connection to this style, to the point that this could be a future headliner not just across Spain or mainland Europe – but into other vibrant continents as well.