(progressive metal) MindFlow - Destructive Device - 2008, FLAC (image+.cue), lossless

MindFlow's latest complete release, "Destructive Device", reminds me of a Joyce Carol Oates novel entitled "Zombie". In it, the writer puts the reader in the mind of a serial killer and turns him into a sympathetic character. This is disturbing for many people because they don't feel comfortable relating to this kind of character.

Similarly, MindFlow opens the entire spectrum of human emotions in their latest album. Each song evokes different sensations and emotions which leads to a holistic experience of the human condition for the listener, leaving each one open to interpretation. We are all human; therefore, the songs, though seemingly a lot of them are about Jack - the serial killer who made his first appearance in "Follow Your Instinct" off of their second studio release "Mind Over Body" - have universal themes and tones echoing throughout the album. And MindFlow has a way of having all of the sounds and lyrics match, amplifying the effect each song has on the mind, body and psyche.

The album opens with the politically-charged and thought-provoking title track, which sends a message to anyone who will listen. "You've got to stop this now, before it's too late". During the instrumental solo in the middle of the song, the interruption and segmentation of the instruments creates both a groove and a visceral experience. The social and political themes continue in other songs like "Inapt World", where MindFlow challenges the listener to decide what keeps you prisoner?

The aggressive and melodic sound of "Lethal" fits with the lyrics of someone demanding something of someone else, which contrasts "Breakthrough", the most accessible and mainstream song. The universal sound and lyrics allow people to relate to the song. We've all felt like we've been caught up on the wrong road, that we've disappointed the ones we love, that we've felt lost. The resolve is in the end, when we "make our own way".

In "Inevitable Nightfall", the listener steps into Jack's mind, and the song intensely amplifies the message that every single person has a dark side, or a shadow as Carl Jung calls it; the difference is in the choices we make. Jack embraces his dark side and that is the only place he experiences freedom. The keyboards in this song create a haunting yet sympathetic tone. The chaos of the song structure echoes the mind of the killer. Jack's story continues and ends in "Shocking DeathBed Confession", which is the most layered and complex of the songs on the album.

The general composition allows accessibility into each song, but the classic MindFlow complexity and structure is still present. There's no doubt that "Destructive Device" leaves one thinking at the end, and possibly even a little changed.

USA Progressive Music

Danilo Herbert - vocals
Rodrigo Hidalgo - guitars
Miguel Spada - keyboards
Ricardo Winandy - bass
Rafael Pensado - drums
******
Ben Grosse - spoken voice on 11
John David Hugh Jones - as "J.A.C.K."
Natalia Palivanas - as "The Blond Girl"