Rite avoids disaster through its bedrock of expressive performances. This is the kind of progressive metal that switches gears constantly, and the opener “Seance” showcases the musicians’ collective ability to make Rite’s twists and turns feel natural. Guitarists Harold McCummings and Colin Ruhwedel playfully bounce off each other in the jazzy sections, harmonize with McCummings’ keyboards, and join forces for upbeat math riffs. Mack Rourke’s drumming and Bryan Garcia’s bass playing are equally versatile, matching the guitarists’ prowess at every turn. Fall of the Albatross knows exactly how to use everyone to full effect, with no one instrument ever doing the heavy lifting. The crystal-clear mix further elevates the performances by allowing all instruments ample breathing room. Some balance is lost when technically impressive individual parts overwhelm each other in “Labrakadabrador” and “Communion,” but all in all Rite is a tightly performed album, with its components working together in unison.
Rite is a dynamic interplay of subgenres, with the occasional misstep. The energetic give-and-take between Fall of the Albatross’ core genres—jazz fusion, math rock, and post-metal—is where Rite succeeds: jazz leaping around heavy riffs in “Seance” and “Tanya,” or post-metal lullabies melded into the groove riffs of “Tiny Jar.” Mathcore is a relatively small part of Rite, and its sludgy veneer works great when mixed into the violence of “Not the Bees,” but sticks out like a sore thumb in the jazzy “Tanya.” In the hands of another band, Rite might have been uninteresting whiplash prog, relying on the sheer novelty of the wildly contrasting genres. Fall of the Albatross ties everything together with a great sense of momentum, which also prevents certain stylistic diversions from feeling gimmicky, like the ferociously funky power disco in “Not the Bees.” The flow isn’t perfect; “Tiny Jar” and “Communion” abruptly end in the middle of a riff, and “Labrakadabrador” feels like a Meshuggah song interrupted halfway through by a much better Widek song. Besides the odd stumble, Rite has enough momentum to keep the genre mosaic from devolving into nonsense.
The complex riffs and melodies of Rite are more of a mixed bag. Fall of the Albatross is faultless when it comes to jazz. While bands like Cynic take a more mature, technical approach to jazz, Fall of the Albatross approaches it with whimsy; flirty drum lines overlaid with eminently danceable melodies make tracks like “Tanya” a lot of fun. The heavier spectrum is less consistent, with every great moment offset by another that doesn’t quite land. Chaotic riffs dilute the Haken-inspired precision noodling of “Glucose Guardian,” and the intricate riffs of “Communion” contrast with the uninspired riffs of “Midnight Society.” Beyond the riffs, the more technical guitar work of Rite fares better. High-speed guitar licks weaving between interlocking melodies give the more progressive tracks like “Tiny Jar” and “Tanya” a layer of depth, but occasionally ideas evolve so quickly that it’s difficult to recall the bulk of tracks once they end. The hyper-progressive nature of Rite makes it a rewarding, yet imperfect listen—every track has something to love, as well as something that’ll frustrate you.
There’s a curious phrase on Fall of the Albatross’ Bandcamp page: “instrumental progressive metal for the imaginative mind.” Rite, like our imagination, is messy—it’s stylistically reckless, and littered with pieces that don’t quite work—but it’s infused with a playful sense of wonder. Even though not every riff or melody hits the mark, the phenomenal performances give the genre-bending enough momentum for Rite to pull off the tightrope act with gusto. I look forward to what the imaginative mind will yield for their next release.
Rating: Good!
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Independent
Websites: fallofthealbatross.bandcamp.com | fallofthealbatross.com | facebook.com/fallofthealbatross
Releases Worldwide: August 18th, 2023
