Album Review: Between the Buried And Me – The Blue Nowhere

The Blue Nowhere brings mind-numbing and soul-shaking music.

Between the Buried And Me was formed back in ’00. The band consists of Tommy Giles Rogers Jr., Paul Waggoner, Dan Briggs and Blake Richardson, and on September 12, the band released their album, The Blue Nowhere. As a whole, the album is pretty good because each song is filled with the vein-jolting metalcore the band is known for. Sure, the lineup is different without Dustie Waring, but Between the Buried And Me’s sound is heavier on this album.

“Absent Thereafter” is a 10-minute ditty that will take listeners to every deep vibe that exists in the band’s musical galaxy. This song stands out pretty well because of how the crazy and blissful instrumentation will confuse people about direction the album is going in. Misdirection is a constant theme on “Absent Thereafter,” and the magic of music sees Between the Buried and Me’s sheer power on The Blue Nowhere.

Now, “Psychomanteum” is another long tune – it is 11 minutes long. It is way heavier than “Absent Thereafter” due to how the instrumentation and vocal performance make things sound more lively and dangerous through the very detailed face-smack guitar riffs, drum beats and masterful vocals. Every aspect of “Psychomanteum” can make some people forget about how long this tune is because the band successfully bends time and space with their endless musical talent.

“Slow Paranoia” is another composition that could cause some listeners to lose themselves in bombastic music. Each instrument contributes to the insanity by producing powerful and extreme noises that cause endless hang-banging and crazy mosh-pits when performed live. Yes, “Slow Paranoia” is indeed another extensive composition, but once again people will find themselves lost in the killer and heart-jolting metalcore vibe.

As for the title song, “The Blue Nowhere,” it is actually more of a straight down the line kind of number. This is surprising because the whole production is not normal due to every guitar riff, drum beat and vocal tone. This one will leave some listeners with some sense of direction for the album. Despite the unknown, the music is wild and compelling in how Between the Buried and Me share their creativity on “The Blue Nowhere.”

The Blue Nowhere is a wonderful album and despite the changes in the lineup, the band has proven that they still create dazzling songs that stay true to their metalcore roots. Between the Buried and Me  surely will shock everyone when they perform the assortment live on stage.