(Progressive Metal) Agora - Voyager (EP) - 2012, MP3, 320 kbps (Web)

Just saw this on /mu/! My first impression is that these guys are a more controlled, less contrived instrumental Progressive Metal band sounding like an eclectic mix of Behold The Arctopus, Scale The Summit and Blotted Science. As such, they have a good little trade-off between consonance and dissonance; switching between the two in a similar way to BTA at times, but they also build up an atmosphere before getting technical. There are simple and harmonised heads in many of the tracks, and that gives me the impression that they're not trying to show off. Most of the time, it seems they genuinely want to harness their technical skill in a musical way, as, though it is sporadic and for the most part unpredictable, it's not a "let's throw it all at the wall" frantic, but more something very planned. There's use of complex chordal playing rather than weedily woodily noise getting thrown at you, and everything is well presented. Sure, other Prog Metal bands can be described like that, but unlike some of the more technical artists in the genre, this is much more accessible to someone not used to that spastic, relentless flurry of notes that BTA or Psyopus might throw at you. Production is good, too. You can hear the bass extremely well, and you can hear the drums. The guitar tone isn't godly, but the recording has a very organic yet polished sound, which I dig. Brings in influence from Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Jazz and Mathcore and the like. Well worth a listen.

Eduardo Contreras Vocals
Hector Barragan Keyboards, Vocals (backing)
Manuel Vazquez Guitars
Sergio Aguilar Guitars, Vocals (backing)
Eduardo Carrillo Drums
David Villarreal Bass