Progression, as noted in the Oxford Dictionary, is defined as “the process of developing or moving gradually towards a more advanced state”.  In some minds progression is a scary proposition; a move into unknown territory that lies outside someone’s personal comfort zone and often causes a bit of angst or anxiety-  don’t mess with the formula!  But the flip side of that is often the reality-  don’t stick with the same ol’ same ol’, try something new.  Maybe not a drastic change but some modifications here and there that aren’t such a shock to the system;  keep the core in place yet don’t be afraid to explore and build upon those key elements.  That latter thought is what comes to mind immediately when listening to The Earth Laid Bare’s second release (and first full length disc) in Flow.

As someone who has seen this band for the past six years or so I have seen quite a bit of progression from this Cincinnati, Ohio area five piece.  From the early days The Earth Laid Bare (and even in their formative stages as Eyes Like Comets) played with a bit of youthful and reckless abandon, leaning towards metalcore in style featuring some heavy duty breakdowns and more of a punishing death metal vocal.  But with some members leaving and new ones coming on board there is bound to be change, and likely, progression.  Come 2014, the band streamlines a bit more to add more progressive and symphonic elements, tightens up the guitar , gets a bit more dynamic in the vocal department, and releases their debut EP Circadian Rhythms; a CD chock full of heavy, dizzying guitar work and dynamic, choppy riffs.  A new sound is essentially born, the band plays quite a few local shows in the area, and gains new fans along the way with the highlight over the next couple of years being their opening slot on a side stage of the Rock Star Mayhem tour in Indianapolis and opening the main stage of Summer Slaughter in Cleveland the following year.

OK, enough of the history lesson…  what about new disc Flow?  Does it match the intensity of their debut?  Are those core sonic elements still in place?  Are they taking any risks with any of the material, trudging bravely off into new realms in an effort to strengthen the song?  Will the addition of a second guitarist hinder the music within or augment the band’s sound and broaden The Earth Laid Bare’s horizons?  I am happy to report the answer is “yes” to all of these questions…  and then some.  There is definitely a progression much, much beyond the band’s debut and one that should be viewed as a good thing.

From the opening strains of intro guitar on intro cut “Caliburn” through last tune “The Cartographer”, Flow is an excellent mix of the band’s heavier elements from their debut EP but steers clear of being too one dimensional, opting to “peel back the onion” to display a wide variety of moods from the atmospheric and ethereal through hostility and alarm and through feelings of introspection and hopefulness, often within the same song.  Take the aforementioned “Caliburn”, which begins with a sweetly layered and echoey guitar figure that’s contrasted by a roaring intro vocal from lead singer Jake Antony before being countered by a gutpunching, spinning riff that builds, twists, and turns across multiple sonic highways; never content to stay too long in one mood and wanting to take you on another whirling dervish of a thrill ride.  Or how about the next cut “Avarice”; itself a song about the dangers of lust and greed (spot “The Hobbit” references here!) that offers a similar rocket ride, ever building on a massive riff that grows then drops off into a beautiful, atmospheric section (check out bassist Ian Remley’s masterful solo spot nod to Yes man Chris Squire behind that vocal) before the guitars build and the drums pound to segue us into another massive riff before the song concludes.  Both songs are some of the better cuts on the disc, ably mixing up the light and the shade between vocals (lead from Antony and occasional counter from guitarist Michael Bishop) and varying textures between guitars, bass, and drums.

Still, some tunes offer up a bit of a breather-  take for example “Moria”; more of a brooder overall focusing on more various sonic collages- less distortion and more echo in the intro, yet a heavier section comes in that’s a bit more thick and dense on the riff and less busy compared to the previous cuts.  This change up of approach allows more of a focus on the vocal and a passionate one it is as Antony builds the tension during the lighter sections, almost pleading in tone before turning on the menace as he sings “this is your rude awakening” before that heavier section kicks in.  Or take the brief instrumentals “Inertia” and “Valinor”; the former is a great segue between cuts featuring some beautiful melodic guitar backed by an almost ominous single note tone and some popcorn percussion (think Pink Floyd’s “Time” after the introductory bells are rung), while the latter features more introspective and beautiful guitar work while the bass and drums build up the intensity before bringing it back down again during the rideout.  No, these two are not “songs” per se but excellent transition pieces between the other songs on the album and gives an example on how this band does an outstanding job on textures and shades.

Even after multiple plays, “Eternally Present” still ranks high as my favorite song from this release (you can read about my thoughts on the song HERE) but there are days where the title song gets just as many plays.  “Flow” is a bit of a grower that sneaks up on you; like many of the bands songs the buildup is fantastic but the real winner is in the vocal department-  not only do you have the tenacity from Antony/Bishop but the band’s other lead guitarist Waylon Baker counters their ferocity with an almost haunting, ethereal vocal that offers an almost dizzying effect-  one moment you are caught up in the intense combination of a soaring riff and menacing vocal and suddenly the rug is pulled out from under you and you are mesmerized by the transition to another astral plane almost unthought of.  How did we go from here to there?  And then you’re jarred into other realms as Baker lays down a tasty lead spot that kicks you back into reality.  As mentioned, this disc has many of these moments and “Flow” may certainly be the pinnacle of sonic movement.

There are plenty more surprises and songs on this disc but it would be unwise for me not to highlight the performances of the band members.  Lead vocalist Jake Antony has grown tremendously from the EP, offering up deeper growls yet providing plenty of depth and dynamic to various lines in each song as he easily bounces between the forceful and commanding to an almost pleading yet measured tone.  The dynamic duo guitar tag team of Waylon Baker and Michael Bishop are stellar colorists, capably switching from introspective and lighter shades to darker and more powerful tones-  Baker may play a smoother, tapped section while Bishop counters with layers of punchy riffs or a flurry of notes, both intertwining skillfully throughout each song.  Last but not least, the rhythm section is outstanding and not to be outdone either-  bassist Ian Remley often punches up the riffier guitar sections as he speeds along in unison with the some of the faster Baker/Bishop runs but also frequently steps back to lock in with drummer Daniel Reinhart to provide some solid backbone to counter the guitar and vocal histrionics, at some points deftly leading the charge a la Chris Squire or Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris and the next moment content to lay back like John Paul Jones.  And speaking of the drummer…  at one moment Daniel Reinhart is speeding all over the kit and the next moment he’s content to lay back in a deep pocket yet surprise you with a few snappy drum rolls or lighter percussive touches.  All five members lend their talents exceptionally well to each song.

So yes…  progression is often a good thing and in the case of Flow can also lead to magical results.  Trust me, there is no bias here…  this is an impressive 35+ minute ride of extremely high peaks and deep, deep valleys that fits in well within the progressive metal genre and most definitely worth your purchase.  Also, don’t be afraid…  there certainly is MUCH to absorb on first listen but the results are remarkable, so much so that you may find yourself liking a particular song but on consecutive plays your ear will be tuned into an entirely new cut or captivated by a specific musical passage.  Yep, Flow is THAT good.