Review of The Zenith Passage - "Solipsist"
HIGH-TECH-DEATH HYPNOSIS
By: Geoff Teach
Not long ago, two accomplished acts from The Golden State released new albums. I have already reviewed one of the two in Fallujah’s Dreamless, so now that I have had time to allow the music to settle in, I’m directing my focus to the other collection of captivating cuts from California. Released via Unique Leader Records on April 15th, Solipsist is the first full-length effort from the high-tech-death quartet, The Zenith Passage, and although this may be the foursome’s official debut, Solipsist feels like an album that was written by a band that's been together for decades. Sophisticated, abstract, and profound, The Zenith Passage’s Solipsist simply annihilates.
Based in Los Angeles, The Zenith Passage have been actively playing out for a few years now, building their reputation for amazing music and killer live sets one show at a time. From humble beginnings as a two-man tech-death experiment in an L.A. apartment until now, The Zenith Passage have dedicated themselves to creating some of the heaviest, most technologically-advanced, and most intricate death metal imaginable. Incorporating synthesizers and haunting electronics within and behind their state-of-the-art technical talents, The Zenith Passage’s offerings are always ferociously cutting-edge.
Sounding similar to an American blend of Canada’s Archspire and Sweden’s Soreption – but with much more electronic emphasis – The Zenith Passage’s Solipsist is boldly fierce and intriguing. Tracks early in the album such as “Holographic Principle II: Convergence” and the first single, “Deus Deceptor” (whose lyric video was the first to be issued in 360° viewing from famed producer Scott Rudd) introduce you full-on to the band’s insane talents and knack for hypnotic songcraft; while other treasures from Solipsist include “Hypnagogia” (featuring Wes Hauch of Faceless and Glass Casket), “Metaphysical Solipsism” with Alex Hofmann of Fallujah on guest vocals, and the closer, “Luminary Singularity”.
Overall, Solipsist by The Zenith Passage is unbelievably astonishing. If you have not yet heard these skilled musicians, press play below to listen to Solipsist in its entirety – and get blown away just like I did.
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