Wow.
Unprocessed made a very promising display of unparalleled djent ingenuity with the singles leading up to this album, particularly with the bold choices on Thrash, but I wasn't expecting this. A band who has built a reputation on insanely technical and beautiful guitarwork-heavy progressive works has taken a sharp turn into a creatively heavy territory, and none of the innovation has been lost.
This album definitely stands out in every fashion against the sea of progressive modern metal. Everything from the unorthodox instrumentation and unique vocal cadence to the tastefully half-gritty half-muddy mix and bold production choices. Every single song on this album has something different to offer, and there are few albums where this statement is as true as it is for ...And Everything In Between.
What impresses the most is how seamlessly they blend such creatively demanding and generally less compatible aspects of modern metal into one cohesive experience. The technicality alone is some of the best in the world, but they manage to meld that with thoughtful and strong songwriting, something many other technical bands falter with, and on top of all that, they blend the heaviest parts they've ever written by far with their signature pretty riffwork and they still make it work.
Also, they really love the blast beats, huh? So do I, though, and they seem to challenge the idea of what purpose a blast beat can serve. Beyond the intensity that most bands use it for, it feels like they've managed to hone in on using it as a texture, as a complement to the rest of the instrumentation. It's intriguing to say the least, their blast beats have been some of the most creative usages of the technique that I've heard.
Manuel also really elevated the band with his improved vocals. Of course, the screams were a pleasant surprise, but I have to commend how much firmer his cleans are and how much better he can traverse around syllables now. His melodies are also really interesting, which contributes to how memorable some of these choruses are. David doing secondary harsh vocals also makes for some really nice back-and-forths on certain cuts.
Guitarwork will never fail to be a highlight for this band, though. Some of these riffs are insane, and I love that the overall style has shifted from purely technical math rock to bringing in some heavier and groovier djent work. They do jump in on the thump craze a bit here and there too, but the overall sound and style still ends up being something completely unique. Also, the solos?!? Tasteful again and again, and the guest solos are an absolute treat.
They've really proven themselves to be more than just a guitar-heavy gimmick on this album. It all feels so fully fleshed out, I love the experimentation and boldness on cuts like Abysm and Thrash, the variety of influences like on the speedy punky verse on I Wish I Wasn't, the dark electronic intro on Purgatory, and arguably some of the blast beats are basically deathcore.
...And Everything In Between has no doubt made a lasting impression on me. I knew Unprocessed was something special but I wasn't expecting something quite so unique from them, and especially this heavy. I am more than happy to have got what I was given, though. One of the best albums of 2023 no doubt, and definitely their new best album.
Rating: 10/10