Turbulence – B1nary Dream
Three years ago, FabricationsHQ gave a highly favourable review to Frontal, the second album by Lebanese progressive metal band Turbulence.
More telling, in terms of the sonic impression Frontal made, was the fact it also got the 2021 nod as Progressive Metal Album Of The Year at Fabbers Central.
All of which makes Frontal a bit of a hard act to follow but Turbulence, a band who sit firmly in Dream Theater territory (with hints of Djent and jazz fusion), and who offer up musical complexity and sonic intensity in equal measure, have flexed their progressively shaped songwriting muscles to, fittingly, progress further than Frontal with B1nary Dream (much as Frontal was a step beyond debut album Disequilibrium).
As the title hints at, there’s an exploring consciousness and a questioning concept threaded through the nine tracks, with a robot called 8b+1 at the centre of an experiment called Binary Dreaming, leading to a consciousness awakening (still with us at the back?)
Intro piece 'Static Mind' leads with a single electronic sample that slowly builds towards the full-frontal assault of the heavy de-tuned guitar riffing that opens (and subsequently dips in and out of) following number 'Theta,' which features dynamics a plenty and adept vocal parts from Omar El Hage.
The riffs from guitarist Alain Ibrahim are innovative (his solo is a virtuosic noodle fest) while Mood Yassin’s keyboard parts have an unsettling but epic feel to them; the rhythm section of bassist Anthony Atwe and drummer Morgan Berthet underpin 'Theta' with an astonishing level of complexity.
More telling, in terms of the sonic impression Frontal made, was the fact it also got the 2021 nod as Progressive Metal Album Of The Year at Fabbers Central.
All of which makes Frontal a bit of a hard act to follow but Turbulence, a band who sit firmly in Dream Theater territory (with hints of Djent and jazz fusion), and who offer up musical complexity and sonic intensity in equal measure, have flexed their progressively shaped songwriting muscles to, fittingly, progress further than Frontal with B1nary Dream (much as Frontal was a step beyond debut album Disequilibrium).
As the title hints at, there’s an exploring consciousness and a questioning concept threaded through the nine tracks, with a robot called 8b+1 at the centre of an experiment called Binary Dreaming, leading to a consciousness awakening (still with us at the back?)
Intro piece 'Static Mind' leads with a single electronic sample that slowly builds towards the full-frontal assault of the heavy de-tuned guitar riffing that opens (and subsequently dips in and out of) following number 'Theta,' which features dynamics a plenty and adept vocal parts from Omar El Hage.
The riffs from guitarist Alain Ibrahim are innovative (his solo is a virtuosic noodle fest) while Mood Yassin’s keyboard parts have an unsettling but epic feel to them; the rhythm section of bassist Anthony Atwe and drummer Morgan Berthet underpin 'Theta' with an astonishing level of complexity.
Short instrumental 'Time Bridge' starts with an unsettling John Carpenter-esque keyboard figure from Mood Yassin before developing into an unusual time signature complete with some funk bass, heavy riffage and keyboard orchestration.
'Time Bridge' then segues into longer instrumental 'Manifestation,' which opens with some Fender Rhodes before rocking it up with some furious riffing by both keys and guitar (the time-changing musicianship on this prog-ebb and metal flow number is extremely impressive).
The intensity is dropped for the atmospheric (and impeccably produced) 'Ternary,' with Omar El Hage’s vocals given centre stage. Towards the end of the song the volume increases as the rhythm section (some great drum work here from Morgan Berthet) and guitars become more prominent. A down-tempo winner.
The centre-piece of the album, the fourteen minute title track, is a full-blown epic where the band’s Dream Theater meet a sonically intense Rush influences are laid bare (there are also hints of Yes, Genesis and Porcupine Tree, but there’s enough innovation here to set Turbulence apart).
This conceptual piece (calling it a song doesn’t do it justice) builds from a vocal-led part to a complex instrumental section that includes a variety of riffs and solos which never fail to impress (towards the end of this section they even include what sounds like a bouzouki, or whatever be the Lebanese equivalent).
There are further hints of the middle east as a musical reference before dropping to a delicate section featuring just vocals and guitar; this softer part then develops towards an almost funk section before returning to some brutal riffing to the conclusion. Serious complexity. And seriously impressive.
'Hybrid' maintains the intensity with another enjoyable riff, some off-kilter timing and another impressive vocal delivery from Omar El Hage. If there is a criticism to be made, it’s that 'Hybrid' suffers in comparison to the preceding title track, but then it’s also a classic (and in this case impossible) case of follow that, then.
'Corrosion,' an impressive slow-tempo prog ballad, drops the intensity but ups the ante with an on-point, lost our way lyric ("a legacy of wars and agony"), another killer guitar riff and forlorn vocal cries.
The album closes with 'Deerosion' which (for Turbulence at least) is a fairly straightforward, mid-tempo instrumental that starts with a plaintive chord sequence before being kicked up a gear by the rhythm section.
Alain Ibrahim takes the lead for both the melody parts and soloing (and excels at both) while the long fade out employed on 'Deerosion' leaves you wanting more.
'B1nary Dream' is another mightily impressive offering from Turbulence; one that carries truly epic moments.
It has also, much like Frontal did three years ago, laid down a progressive metal gauntlet – to the degree that it will give the highly anticipated new Dream Theater album, with Mike Portnoy back behind the kit, a serious run for its money.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
'Time Bridge' then segues into longer instrumental 'Manifestation,' which opens with some Fender Rhodes before rocking it up with some furious riffing by both keys and guitar (the time-changing musicianship on this prog-ebb and metal flow number is extremely impressive).
The intensity is dropped for the atmospheric (and impeccably produced) 'Ternary,' with Omar El Hage’s vocals given centre stage. Towards the end of the song the volume increases as the rhythm section (some great drum work here from Morgan Berthet) and guitars become more prominent. A down-tempo winner.
The centre-piece of the album, the fourteen minute title track, is a full-blown epic where the band’s Dream Theater meet a sonically intense Rush influences are laid bare (there are also hints of Yes, Genesis and Porcupine Tree, but there’s enough innovation here to set Turbulence apart).
This conceptual piece (calling it a song doesn’t do it justice) builds from a vocal-led part to a complex instrumental section that includes a variety of riffs and solos which never fail to impress (towards the end of this section they even include what sounds like a bouzouki, or whatever be the Lebanese equivalent).
There are further hints of the middle east as a musical reference before dropping to a delicate section featuring just vocals and guitar; this softer part then develops towards an almost funk section before returning to some brutal riffing to the conclusion. Serious complexity. And seriously impressive.
'Hybrid' maintains the intensity with another enjoyable riff, some off-kilter timing and another impressive vocal delivery from Omar El Hage. If there is a criticism to be made, it’s that 'Hybrid' suffers in comparison to the preceding title track, but then it’s also a classic (and in this case impossible) case of follow that, then.
'Corrosion,' an impressive slow-tempo prog ballad, drops the intensity but ups the ante with an on-point, lost our way lyric ("a legacy of wars and agony"), another killer guitar riff and forlorn vocal cries.
The album closes with 'Deerosion' which (for Turbulence at least) is a fairly straightforward, mid-tempo instrumental that starts with a plaintive chord sequence before being kicked up a gear by the rhythm section.
Alain Ibrahim takes the lead for both the melody parts and soloing (and excels at both) while the long fade out employed on 'Deerosion' leaves you wanting more.
'B1nary Dream' is another mightily impressive offering from Turbulence; one that carries truly epic moments.
It has also, much like Frontal did three years ago, laid down a progressive metal gauntlet – to the degree that it will give the highly anticipated new Dream Theater album, with Mike Portnoy back behind the kit, a serious run for its money.
Nelson McFarlane & Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ