Sound Struggle is a Boston based band which creates a unique mix of djent/prog metal with funk and jazz fusion motives. The self-titled debut (2014) and the first two singles that were released as an insight to their new experimentation additionally made my expectations higher.
Sound Struggle returned recently with their second studio album Rise, and they provided us with a release that exceeds my expectations. It could be easily said that Rise is a release that only Sound Struggle could produce. The album features a great blend of guitars, keyboards and saxophone accompanied well with mixture of clean and growl vocals. With interesting constant changes from djent to fusion to progressive metal and (always present) funk, the Bostonians are masters of their own craft.
It is easy to notice how Rise is a well thought release through guitar solos embedded in songs, which create kind of a brotherhood between fusion and metal. And same could be told about keyboards; all those piano parts express the built-in progressive metal influences by its characteristic sudden changes in tempo, or transformations from-to fusion. Constant time changes do not feel strange at all, and the band does it with a huge amount of smoothness and professionalism. Add to that the presence of saxophone parts which exist in almost every song, and your dessert is fully served.
Rise could be describe as a thought-provoking record; it doesn’t bore you but rather inspire you and you will often find yourself guessing what is next trick the band is going to show. Every moment of this ten-track record is an experience for itself. Rise forces the limits, it leaves no walls behind. Everybody who is attracted to metal, jazz fusion or funk will find something enjoyable about this grandiose record.
