1."Visceral" 03:41
2."Isolate Gravity" 03:21
3."Sleeping Ground" 03:41
4."Engineering The Rule" 04:16
5."Wall Of Lies" 03:36
6."Violent Calm" 04:38
7."Life Suffering" 03:44
8."Corrosive" 03:18
9."Mindlock" 04:11
10."Splinters Of Change" 03:50
Advanced technical drum patterns based on jazz creativity and improvisation, high pitched screaming vocal, catchy progressive bass rhythms with the thrash atmosphere, extreme fast solos riffs and melodies with harmonizer effects on guitars...
Do you have a strange feeling that almost similar concept was used somewhere in the past ?
Yes, you are right if this record reminds you technical/progressive thrash/death metal legend Atheist. They have disbanded in 1993 and announced the reunion in 2006 and nowdays they are working on fourth studio album. We can call Gnostic as the 3/5 of Atheist.
Their talented drummer Steve Flynn, created Gnostic after couple of years of musical hiatus with Sonny Carson and Chris Baker. These two guitarists became in 2006 after reunion the regular members of Atheist.
This record is based on known arts of past which have roots in Atheist era, but new people take in this music productive value of musical ideas and directions. Stephen Morley did solid bass work in the breakdown parts of some songs e.g. title track "Engineering the Rule" "Life, Suffering", "Violent Calm" and "Visceral". He plays decent but I can not compare him with aces like Roger Patterson (bassist of Atheist who died in car accident in 1991) and latin jazz influenced Tony Choy . Kevin Freeman has very strong voice here that fits in this music because high pitched screams are very good musical contrast to guitars, bass and drums of this combination but his interpretation sounds weak and artificial. Maybe he was a lot influented with metalcore or screamo singers. It is pity that Gnostic on this first record have changed clean singning vocals from some songs which are on demo releases. "Mindlock" arrangements sounds much better on the demo "Splinters of change". Sometimes is good not to change the original songs motives, because results are then excessive technical arrangements. On the other side songs from demos gained on "Engineering The Rule" almost perfect sound look.
The most engrossing tracks are certainly "Corrosive", "Mindlock", "Violent Calm" and "Life, Suffering".
What can I eke? I hope that Atheist new record will be much better. I expect more suprising arrangements (depends mainly on Tony Choys musical /composing skills), less selfstealing motives and better vocals (I assume that Kelly Shaefer will not dissapoint).
rating: 8/10
