The Zenith Passage – Datalysium (Review)

The Zenith Passage are a death metal band from the US and this is their third album.

Well, it’s been a shockingly long time since the first album by The Zenith Passage – Solipsist was released in 2016, and a lot has happened since then. When it comes to the band themselves, they have now returned with an almost completely new lineup, which includes a bassist and singer who were both in The Faceless. So, across its 46 minutes of material, what does Datalysium have to offer us, and does it match up to the hype?

Take The Zenith Passage’s first album, with all of its aspects evolved further, throw in a larger dose of prime The Faceless alongside a heavier progressive influence, and then mix in some Archspire, Obscura, and Meshuggah, and you’ll have a decent starting point for Datalysium. Then, turn everything up to eleven. If that sounds good, it’s because it most definitely is. Datalysium hideously accomplished.

The Zenith Passage’s razor-sharp technicality is pronounced and merciless. It infects every aspect of the band’s music, delivering all manner of atypical riffs, ideas, melodies, and twisting rhythms. That the musicians in the band can play is not in dispute, but it’s great to hear such intricate complexity focused into actual songcraft; and this latter point is vital to the band’s success.

Yes, this is tech death with hooks. Some of the music’s most unusual riffs are some of the catchiest, for example. The Zenith Passage’s songwriting is so far above that of many of their peers, they’re almost in a genre of their own. Enriched with cosmic atmospheric elements that bring another layer into the mix, enhanced by a vocal performance that can’t be faulted for the style, (along with some quality clean singing in places), and peppered with progressive workouts that build fully formed immersive soundscapes, then you have a very, very strong package in Datalysium.

Okay, so The Zenith Passage have produced 2023’s tech death album to beat. Will anything else come close? Who knows. All I know at this point is that Datalysium has been worth the wait, exceeds the hype, and is an utterly essential listen if you’re a fan of modern technical/progressive metal.