Album Review: The Dali Thundering Concept – Savages (Apathia Records)

French progressive metal quintet The Dali Thundering Concept will release their second album Savages on April 13th 2018, a dystopian concept album of dissonance, ferocity and discomfort.

Blending genres, The Dali Thundering Concept provide a fascinating mix of metalcore, hardcore and progressive sounds to create an album that stands out for all the right reasons.

The opening triple header of Ostrich Dynasty, The Myth of Happiness and Blessed with Boredom gets the blood pumping with flashes of rhythmic guitars wrapped around savage vocals and hard-hitting breakdowns. What could sound confused and lost instead is deep, structured and very satisfying.

Leading up to Cassandra, The Dali Thundering Concept have hinted at their more experimental side but it’s with this track that they let it out of the cage. A synth/electronica-based track, there is an underlying dark tone that fits within the album’s concept of futuristic oppressiveness.

While a track like that might leave those here for the ferocious metal feeling put off, there is no arguing with the likes of Ink and Flying with the Sheperds. A pair of cranial-crushingly heavy tracks.

Nearing the end of an incredible album, The Dali Thundering Concept continue to not rest having already provided an eclectic listen. Demeter’s jazz medley is so off the wall, so unexpected that it might be the best thing on the album through the sheer bravery of the band to throw this in there.

Things wrap up with a trio of tracks that complete one of the most inventive progressive listens this year so far. Empty the Void is the most uplifting of the bunch thanks to the stunning guitar work, Utopia is a mix of violent outbursts & melodic vocals and We Build the Past ends things with a fist in the air & the head well and truly banging.

The Dali Thundering Concept – Savages Full Track Listing:

1. Ostrich Dynasty
2. The Myth of Happiness
3. Blessed with Boredom
4. Cassandra
5. There is no Calm Before the Storm
6. Ink
7. Flying with the Sheperds
8. Demeter
9. Empty the Void
10. Utopia
11. We Build the Past

You can order the album now over on Bandcamp and Big Cartel. Find out more/keep up to date with news via Facebook.