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Reviews

Opus Arise — The Network
(Bandcamp no#, 2022, DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2022-12-30

The Network Cover art

If you’d asked me 40 years ago if there would ever be a genre called “symphonic metal,” I might have laughed at the absurdity of it, but time has proven me to be an idiot on this one. Over the last couple of decades, a large number of metal bands have incorporated orchestral sounds into their music, sometimes by way of keyboards and sometimes using an actual orchestra. I suppose it makes perfect sense, since power and bombast are part of the appeal of metal, and anyone who’s heard a full symphony live knows what kind of impact it can have. What’s less obvious, and also less common, is bringing the more intimate sounds of chamber music into heavy rock. Vancouver’s Opus Arise is one of a rare breed pioneering the possibilities — the instrumentation is essentially a metal band plus a string quartet, and the strings are fully integrated into the music. The Network is their second full-length release, and it features Shawn Hillman (guitar), Matthew Logan (drums), James Readman (guitar), Daniel Carmago (bass guitar), Matthew Hannah (keyboards), Michelle Gao (violin), Ellen Smith (viola), and Darryl Bennett (cello); Hillman also plays cello, and Logan provides additional violin. The music is entirely instrumental. I find that the heightened presence of the strings which comes from them not being massed into large sections really adds to the impact of the music. On the rock side, you’ll hear a lot of the typical sounds of modern metal — the chugging guitars, the pounding double bass drums, the flashy guitar licks — but the addition of the strings sets Opus Arise apart from the legion of other bands. I wouldn’t say the string arrangements are up there with the best string quartets of the modern era, but many of the sections are quite well done, adding much more than block chords and doubled melodies. “Timeshift” is one of the highlights, with a powerful intro I analyze as alternating bars of 6 and 7 where the guitar, bass, and drums pound out a rhythm and the strings go crazy on angular lines that complement the accents. I’m often put off by the vocals in metal and the general lack of sonic variety, and Opus Arise avoids both of those problems nicely. I find their take on heavy rock to be refreshing and enjoyable.

Filed under: New releases, 2022 releases

Related artist(s): Opus Arise

More info
http://opusarise.bandcamp.com/album/the-network

 

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