Tesseract – War of Being (Review)

Tesseract are a UK progressive metal band and this is their fifth album.

This is my first time listening to Tesseract since their debut EP Concealing Fate back in 2010, (which appears to be one of my earliest reviews too). It seems that the band have developed and evolved very nicely since their humble djent-injected beginnings, and new record War of Being is leagues ahead of the material on that release. It seems I have some catching up to do at some point.

On to the current record first though. It’s clear from first exposure that War of Being is something special and outside of the norm. One of the highest compliments I can give it is to compare the feeling I get when I listen to it to the same sort that I get when listening to The Ocean, and The Ocean are one of my favourite bands. They obviously don’t sound the same, but share enough DNA that Tesseract hit many of the same spots for me that The Ocean do.

Across 61 minutes Tesseract have created an absorbing multifaceted soundscapes for the listener to immerse themselves in. War of Being is an ambitious and creative record, one that’s backed up by ability and a clear vision for what contemporary progressive metal should sound like. Drawing together various related styles and influences – djent, technical metal, cinematic atmosphere, coherent worldbuilding, a talent for hooks – Tesseract craft an engaging and compelling collection of tracks.

War of Being sounds massive. Whether you approach it from a production angle, one of the well-rounded songwriting, the scope of the album, or the rich depth of experience it offers, War of Being is a vast record of intelligently crafted progressive music. All of the musicians excel in their roles, and the singer, an obvious focal point, puts in a sterling performance throughout.

The songwriting on War of Being is as well-realised and polished as you would expect from a band of Tesseract’s stature. The album walks a line between complexity and depth on one side, and stadium-friendly accessibility and catchiness on the other. Balancing precariously on the verge between these two states of being, Tesseract navigate this difficult terrain with ease. The resulting songs deliver both instant appeal and longer lasting substance. War of Being is an album to start enjoying straight away, while also getting to know over time.

Every song here has its own personality and strengths, and all contribute in a worthwhile way to the whole. The combination of hooks, catchiness, and melody, with atmosphere, mood, and technicality is wonderfully realised, and each song is a pleasure to dive into.

Tesseract have impressed. They have come a long way since I last encountered them, and have truly developed into a band worth paying attention to. War of Being is a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding record.

Fans of modern progressive metal should not miss out on this.