Back in the early 2000s, I was in high school. Living near the Akron, Ohio area and being an angsty teen, I was instantly drawn to the local college radio station, 88.9 The Alternation. They played a variety of alternative rock and metal, mostly newer stuff, and while I didn’t go for the emo side that much, this station had a strange balance that I loved. I mention this because a band local to me, Firmament, just released their new album A New World If You Can Take It. The album is like a progressive trip back to that radio station.
Firmament are from Canton, Ohio, home of the Football Hall of Fame and not much else. I grew up essentially smack dab between Akron and Canton. Anyways, the band released a good album in 2018 called Spirit of Place, which I rather liked, though I didn’t talk much about it. The lineup on this new album is Eric Carbenia on vocals, Brandon Carbenia on guitars, and Alex Hunter on guest vocals. The record was mastered by Jens Bogren.
The band plays a nostalgic mix of post-hardcore and progressive rock. Post-hardcore is basically a combination of alternative rock, metal, and emo, and you can hear all of those elements here. The band leaps into the progressive rock/metal end of the pool quite often with muscular guitars and interesting song structures, but they aren’t afraid to lay down catchy earworms, too. I find their lyrics match up with these styles, sometimes feeling pretty youthful, but also coming across as thoughtful and well-edited.
The album has seventeen songs, but five of them are basically interludes, though I find them pretty effective. I particularly like “Eclipse”, an ambient piece of spacey guitar rhythms. I Like “Antimony”, as well, an effervescent spoken word track that is quite emotional. I also like “AζΩθ”, a six-minute outro that is mostly just the comforting noises of dusk with distant chirping; it does eventually move to other sounds and ends with 30 seconds of vocals.
So, the bulk of the album is in the remaining eleven tracks. Let me tell you, there are some real gems here. Two of my favorites are “Angels in Vermilion” and “Deadringer”. The former has such an addictive riff and a catchy chorus—I could listen to it over and over again. The latter has a sterner tone, but it is equally as good, and I like the ambience in the second half as it floats and considers.
Other favorites are the title track for its contrast between cozy verses and more angsty choruses; “After Me, The Flood”, a winding and memorable piece with great lyrics; “Beneddictional”, a seriously catchy piece with Alex on guest vocals; and “A Silence Made for Two”, a groovy piece with the album’s heaviest moments. I love how well the band can contrast angsty, searing segments right up against innocent, pure melodies.
Firmament have so much potential. They are combining some genres that you don’t see together that often, and they are doing it seamlessly. I love the nostalgia trip, but also the confident guitars and excellent vocal performances. Fans who came to progressive rock/metal via alternative music should definitely take notice.
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The PROG Mind 