Jazz Fusion-not Metal

Trioscapes calls their own music experimental, prog-rock fusion. This is a fair generalization. There are also bits of punk and heavy bass lines that imply other influences. Digitally manipulated and highly energetic, the band makes some real transitional progress through their release of Digital Dream Sequence, a five track EP released through Metal Blade Records.

What is Metal Blade Records doing with a jazz fusion/prog–rock band you ask? Good question, but the answer seems to lie in the line up of the trio that perpetrates this interesting mishmash of noise, sound and audio chaos. The band consists of Dan Briggs from Between the Buried and Me on bass, Walter Fancourt of Casual Curious and Brand New Life and Matt Lynch, Eyris’s drummer.

A number of people are referring to this band as metal because of its record affiliation most likely, but as of now, there is no subgenre specific to jazz fusion- though some can be heard in “From Earth to the Moon.” No words here, just digital jazzy fusion of some anger and curiosities of the world. Probably the most interesting to pick apart on the album. There is live music recorded, such as saxophone and drums, but the presence of digital instruments and experimental jazz techniques persists. There is a definite mixing of jazz with elements from rock  – but metal, this is not.

There is a heavy digital influence, the live instruments are mostly filtered through computers and henceforth pixilated and amplify the sound in ways that no natural instrument can produce. The patterns are heavy with jazz-fusion and tones of prog rock rhythm. Does any part of this put you to sleep to render an actual Digital Dream Sequence? No.

In conclusion, Trioscapes is weird, but good. It’s a good weird.