New vocalist, new approach... Clock Paradox hail from Oulu, Finland, with their third demo CD. The band's progressiveness has always been unpredictable, and this time isn't any different. The band have grown from a quartet to a quintet, as Antti Karhu (also in Depth Beyond One's) stepped off the microphone and concentrates only on the guitar. New vocalist Jouni Koskela, who is known as prog thrash/death band Abysmalia's mastermind.

Generally, Clock Paradox's building blocks are the same as always: sometimes disharmonious death metal, thrash metal, progressive music, and a pinch of jazz. 'F21' is a dark instrumental with Opeth-esque melody weaving and lovely rhythmic plays, which has always been the band's trademark. 'Footprints' made me drop my jaw, as is began to blast from the speakers. This is the heaviest stuff from the band to date, but still playing around with rhythms and some dark melodies. The new voice is barbaric and growls 'n' screams are varied, but the clean vocals are gone. The band can shift from brutal blasting to groovy playing without effort.

The demo continues on brutal gear with oppressive 'Phantom Pain', which includes churning riffage and turning rhythms. Jazzy start of 'For the Unity We Breath' is only a short breather before cruel darkness somewhat in vein of Opeth and such acts. The closer 'The Perfect Canvas' is vile blasting with fantastically catchy chorus to boot. My favourite song on the album, and bond to come one of my all-time classics!!! The guitar solos are not warp-speed fretboard antics, but have more free-form, more soulful, feel to them. The sound is heavy and vibrant with organic manner (e.g. hearing fingers moving on guitar strings), and works perfectly for this kind of music.

This might be easiest Clock Paradox demo for listeners thus far. The music is still warped, but it's the compositions that are much tighter than in the past. Still, those who want 1-2-3-4 rock should steer away from this beast. This is the first time when the band's release can be filed under death metal, and style shall be progressive, just as expected.

Reviewed by Lane
01/25/2011 23:32