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Subsignal > Paraíso > Reviews
Subsignal - Paraíso

A bit of a letdown, but enjoyable - 82%

MindRuler33, January 12th, 2014

Subsignal are one of my favorite bands to come along in the past half-decade or so, arising from the dissolve of Sieges Even, who played a slightly more metalized, less keyboard-oriented version of what Subsignal has been doing. Their debut album was promising, and their sophomore effort Touchstones (2011) was an outstanding slab of modern progressive rock. I was really hoping Paraiso would set the bar even higher and bring the band more exposure.

Sadly, I can't say Paraiso is quite as good as Touchstones, but nevertheless, it still manages to be an enjoyable release, worth the time and interest of any fan of the genre. The album opens strong with its title track, which has an infectious chorus and a great lyrical message. The next couple of tracks are all quality, including "A New Reliance", which features an unexpected ska-influenced section that works much better than I would've anticipated. "A Long Way Since the Earth Crashed" has all of the makings of a Subsignal classic, with the band showcasing their somewhat Peter Gabriel-influenced sound with a great mellow vibe. The melodies are moving, and overall the song is just simply beautiful. The band truly excels at writing this sort of stuff, no question about it.

Unfortunately, by about the half-way point, there seems to be a drop-off in quality and energy. "The Stillness Beneath the Snow" and "The Blueprint of a Winter" both failed to grab me, and overall the band sort of treads water in a bit of a lull. I don't necessarily expect this sort of music to be particularly uptempo and energetic, but when its not, I prefer it to take on a particular vibe (as heard on "A Long Way Since..." and tracks like "The Sea" or "I Go With the Wind" from their debut album). The band finds their way back to their niche a little more with the closing two tracks, which salvage the back half of the album.

Overall, Paraiso lacks a bit of the energy and memorable elements that made Touchstones such a fantastic album. If you're already a fan of Subsignal, you are certainly going to want to pick up and listen to this album, since when it shines, it truly does. However, if you're new to the band and thinking about giving them a shot, I would definitely recommend starting with this album's near-flawless predecessor.