Search - Canvas Solaris :: Spatial / Design

Jazz metal with a heaping spoonful of thrash...or is it the

Nicholas Adam Chupka | Derwood, MD | 01/14/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Canvas Solaris is yet another gem for fans of technical metal and/or jazz metal. Though the production might date this album as fitting in the early 90s Atheist and Cynic era, the musicianship, experimentation, and aggression places these trio of geniuses in the company of contemporaries like Ephel Duath and Alarum, without the spastic tendencies. Though I enjoy this EP immensely more than the outfit's first full length, Sublimation, I'm hoping the next LP, Penumbra Diffuse, due out January 17th, features a return to the punishing sound found on Spatial/Design.



And it is this reliance on metal purity; thrash mostly, which separates this release from Alarum's brilliant Eventuality, and Ephel Duath's technical freak fest, Rephormula. The jazz, though a significant ingredient, is used more as a philosophy for frequent style and time signature changes, and the liberal use of melody, a blasphemous hallmark of conformity to many technical jazz musicians, further distinguishes Spatial/Design from more traditional jazz metal records, including Sublimation. What makes this effort my favorite jazz metal release is the delectable Slayer-themed riffs played at a pace to command respect from the metal legends themselves. In fact, Canvas Solaris may be one of the fastest metal bands whose riffs and rhythms are still incredibly audible and prominent.



As one would expect, this release is rather short with just four tracks clocking in at a shade under 30 minutes, but Canvas Solaris, as all great jazz musicians do, demonstrates an impressively efficient use of time. Spatial/Design pays little attention to mood setting and sparse atmospherics; instead, the music constantly charges forward at an intense pace rooted in some of the most astounding drum work I've ever heard. Even when the melodies slow, the drums stay consistently fast, never allowing the listener to achieve a relaxed heart beat. When Hunter Ginn is not boxing your ears by attacking each piece of his kit with blast beat speed and robotic mechanics, he's matching the rhythm of the lead guitar, note for note, which literally has the effect of drilling the music into your mind.



Do not hesitate to pick up this EP if the technicality of jazz and extreme metal is what gets your rocks off. Despite the LP price, you will more than get your money's worth for the countless times this CD will spin in your stereo, and mind.

"

I knew they were good, but not THIS good

Murat Batmaz | Istanbul, Turkey | 05/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've always heard great things about Canvas Solaris; I knew they were an all instrumental heavy progressive metal band with great chops, dazzling guitar work and never-ending energy. However, the last three days I have been listening to their debut EP Spatial/Design, I have to mention that I am amazed at the brilliance showcased on this 26-minute disc, and it far exceeded my expectations.



This is strictly instrumental music in both emotional and cerebral impact. Driven by guitar work from Nathan Sapp and Ben Simpkins, the songs also occasionally lend themselves to odd soundscapes. Ethnic and tribal drum beats, weird percussion usage, synth-like guitar harmonies are all melted into the songcraft never sacrificing heaviness and majestic speed. Mekong Delta and Coroner inspired thrashy speed guitar runs spiral into sharp, merciless leads that are heavier than a rock. The bass is less prominent compared to other bands such as Behold the Arctopus, Spiral Architect or Cynic, but Hunter Ginn's drumming is eerily evocative of Dsrhythmia, another ultra-brutal technical instrumental band you need to check out if you haven't already. Tone, phrasing and the mesmerizing cymbal work of Ginn give Canvas Solaris its own sound for sure - it's the kind of drum sound that is intentionally dry sounding with shattering cymbals and percussion over indescribable guitar and bass combinations. Note the wicked drumming on the thrashy opening song that shifts to a mild breakdown with arpeggiating textures allowing the drums to come through. Likewise, the cymbals on "Non-Termination Integer" (everything except the song titles is great on this disc) give the song its much needed trippy feel when combined with the pumping bass and guitar solo.



As I already mentioned, Canvas Solaris' music is more guitar-heavy than bass. There is a slight jazz touch present, but not on the same level as the aforementioned bands. The finger picked intro of "Cosmic Microwave Background Radiaton" is suggestive of the band's interest in jazz, but more on the fusion side of it. The synth-like guitar theme is the most central thing of the song and it is unafraid to borrow jazz elements. The solos aren't there for the sake of impressing anyone; Sapp and Simpkins moreso employ thrashy rhythm patterns we'd normally expect from Voivod or Watchtower, but there is also a HUGE amount of death metal riffing that runs through the compositions. It's on such a great scale that I was almost swept away by the unexpected death metal groove some of these songs possess. A little inspection of the booklet revealed the band's undeniable love for bands including Anacrusis, Atheist, Believer, Cynic, Death and Pestilence to name a few. Their technicality, except the thrashy overall vibe, is more in the league of European technical metal in the vein of Mekong Delta and Sieges Even to these ears. Needless to say, when your music encompasses all these ingredients and mixes them up so seamlessly, the outcome is bound to please fans like myself. I so need to hear their first full-length disc now. Highly recommended."