Twisted Into Form "Then Comes Affliction to Awaken the Dreamer" (Sensory)
By Taylor Green
Friday. Dec 01, 12:53 AM
Devilishly genius musicianship, but needs more focus.

With the success of bands like Meshuggah, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Into Eternity, and others of the same ilk, technically driven metal has found a surge in recent years featuring some of the best musicianship heard in the scene since its roots in Jimi Hendrix, Cream, and Led Zeppelin. And as subgenres continue to synthesize together, Twisted Into Form apply their own spin as only a band from the darkest, coldest regions of the world could.

Hailing from Norway, Twisted Into Form are the new collaboration of some of the nation's most accomplished musicians. Featuring members from Lunaris, Spiral Architect, and Extol, the band are clearly working with a wide array of influences and personal backgrounds. This pours out of their compositions, which often make Clutch seem like nü metal as they range across the spectrum. Tracks like "Torrents" and "Manumit" just ooze energy as the endless riffs tumble through the speakers and consume the listener.

However, the band's unique approach may also be their undoing. As most of their "peers" (used very loosely) seem to adapt a more focused musical vision, Twisted Into Form are the antithesis of their name, as songs often sprawl out without direction. And while in some instances the musicianship can cover up these absences, in others it becomes painfully obvious that this seems more like a jam session than an actual record.

Connoisseurs of strong musicianship and more progressive forms of metal will find something devilishly genius within Twisted Into Form, but the everyday listener will likely find an incomplete album lacking enough direction to make it a worthwhile listen. There's a lot buried within the surface, and each track takes at least three or four listens to fully appreciate. The flow of the album is another definite plus, seamlessly transitioning from one song to another without taking the listener out of the music. Were there more to the formula, this may have been one of those rare unearthed gems, but sadly it seems more like a cubic zirconia than a diamond.
www.twistedintoform.no
www.lasercd.com

Listen to a song from this album in our Radio section!

Taylor Green

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