Its conclusion is nothing short of majestic, with exquisite drum work from guest session drummer Dan Presland (Ne Obliviscaris). This song definitely contains multitudes, there’s a bit of everything, and it all mixes well.
There’s even a quick bass solo by Matthew thrown in there. Keep in mind that all of this happens before the midpoint in this epic song, which at 14:31 is the second-longest on the record. We also get to listen to Ethan Navarro providing guest vocals during the softer mid-section, which are followed by the harshest, rawest vocals in the whole album and another great guitar solo. His growls sound desperate and contrast superbly with the slower, moodier passages.
#IAPETUS MUSIC THE LONG ROAD HOME 2017 FULL#
I guess these guys like making strong entrances, because this song starts at full speed as well. ‘I Contain Multitudes’ comes, and after 12 minutes we finally get to hear Matthew singing. ‘Dark Matter Genetics’ is the first of these segues, and it is very atmospheric and subtle, working excellently as a release from the bombastic ‘The Body Cosmic’ and also as an introduction into the next section. What continues is a pattern that is established throughout the record, with a transitional short song following a longer, more substantial one. Around the 6-minute mark they have a change of pace that is simultaneously drastic and seamless, followed by a great guitar solo from Matthew. What a start! The comparisons with Agalloch and Ne Obliviscaris are inescapable, but the similarities end with the sampled narrations that add an extra level of drama to this song. With the opening track that names the album, we get right into it with a full-on blackened melodic section that turns into an epic, atmospheric display of extremes. Continuing in their philosophical sci-fi approach to extreme progressive metal they come back with “The Body Cosmic”, out to the public on November 9 and, like its predecessor, released independently and under a “name your price” scheme, at least digitally. The duo consisting of Matthew Cerami (vocals, guitars, bass, arrangements) and Jordan Navarro (guitars, keyboards, additional effects, drum arrangements) had previously released “The Long Road Home” in 2017, and it was very well received by critics and music fans alike. Luckily for me, this wasn’t the case with Iapetus’ sophomore effort, “The Body Cosmic”. Nowadays we are overwhelmed with new bands and new releases constantly, so something is always bound to fall through the cracks and go unnoticed.