Uneven Structure – La Partition (Review)

Uneven Structure are a French metal band and this is their second album.

This is a modern progressive/technical metal album that walks a path between ambient atmospheric soundscapes and Meshuggah-esque poly-rhythms and heaviness.

There’s almost an hour of music on La Partition and this is filled with a lot of juicy modern progressive content. Although it’s obvious from the first listen that the band are onto something with their complex brand of musical soundscapes, it’s only after multiple spins that the album really begins to give up its secrets. Music like this takes time to fully reveal its splendour.

The tracks have obviously had a lot of thought, care and time put into them. They largely take the best of styles such as progressive and technical metal, djent, post-metal and shoegaze, weaving these together with no small amount of skill or ambition.

Each of these songs are well-written and have a lot of engaging, emotive content. With so much thrown into them it’s no wonder that it can take several listens to really get to grips with them.

A lot of the time with bands of this ilk the production is just that little bit too shiny and polished; not so here. La Partition sounds thoroughly professional and immaculate, but has just the right amount of earthy grit to stop it coming off as plastic and over-produced.

Another weak spot for bands like this can be the singer; again, not so here. The vocalist has a powerful singing voice that doesn’t fall into any of the obvious pitfalls and doesn’t sound weak or whiny in any way. Additionally, he occasionally breaks out his screams and shouts, both of which enhance his overall performance and sound pretty damn fine.

Imagine, if you will, a shiny modern mix of bands such as Tool, Isis, Periphery, Meshuggah and Between the Buried and Me. Uneven Structure are good enough to be in their hallowed company.

Very highly recommended.