Houston We Have A Problem
Ascension
As with any mainstream music genre, sub-genres of metal tend to come and go with increasingly calculated haste but few have matched the levels of intrigue and boundless potential as the so-called Djent movement.
Inspired, nay, defined, by Swedish legends Meshuggah and perfected, manipulated and expanded in recent years by the likes of TesseracT and Periphery, bands of this persuasion can be characterised by palm-muting guitars, rhythmic time changes and experimental dips into ambience and computerised sounds. Bolton-based quartet Houston We Have A Problem’s full length debut ‘Ascension’ tick all of the above boxes but in a way that reflects their obvious confidence in their own songwriting proficiency rather than coming across as a copycat act hoping to hitch a ride on the latest bandwagon. Recorded by TesseracT members Acle Kahney and Jay Postones, the album superbly blends moments of aural bliss à la 65daysofstatic with some moments of fist-clenching fury (‘Machine’) and excellently diverse vocals (‘Consume’), there’s enough here to mark Houston We Have a Problem down as ones to watch over the coming years. Another aspect of the album that will draw an ear-to-ear grin from the genre’s ever-increasing fan base is that each layer of the sound is produced in such a way to give the members their own place in the spotlight – the drums, for example, play as much a part in the overall ethos of the sound as the vocals and the, at times, ridiculously complex guitar work.
If the genre stands the test of time and begins to spawn albums that can nestle comfortably in the playlists of music fans from all walks of life, expect HWHAP to be flying the flag as high as any of their peers.
Review by Adam Starkey
