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One of St. Louis' finest,The Gorge, embodies a passionate fusion of diverse musical influences, driven by four musicians deeply devoted to complex and heavy sounds. Their album, Mechanical Fiction, bursts with exuberant creativity, evident in the intricate math rock complexities of the opening track "Synapse Misfre" and the awe-inspiring tapping acrobatics in "A Decision Was Made." Each song resonates with the sheer joy and enthusiasm these artists experienced while composing them.
As the album progresses, listeners are taken on a thrilling ride, like navigating the fast-paced, chugging mid-section of "Beneath The Crust," which unexpectedly gives way to a glorious choir celebrating the sunrise. Or, reveling in the electrifying riffs that follow blistering blast beats on "Presence." These memorable moments of pure, mind-blowing bliss are abundant throughout Mechanical Fiction.
The guitarist/vocalist, Phil Ring, explains that the album's title, Mechanical Fiction, reflects the mundane routines and motions people often find themselves stuck in. It's a commentary on how individuals may go through life, convincing themselves that everything is fine, but without truly living authentically. As one delves deeper into the record, particularly the lyrics, unexpected emotional depths are uncovered. Ring reveals that the loss of loved ones to mental illness heavily influenced his lyric writing process, giving songs like "A Decision Was Made" and "Earthly Decay" a potent emotional punch in addition to their musical impact.
Amidst the scattered ashes of life's challenges, the band always manages to find sparks of hope that ignite flames of joy. The title track harkens back to the era when fusion solo guitarists like Tosin Abasi and Plini rose to fame, but THE GORGE sets themselves apart by prioritizing repetition and structure over virtuoso soloing. Interspersing Meshuggah-style riffing and vocals with moments of pristine melody, the album embodies a two-faced nature. In the midst of this, the low-key "jazzy" midsection in "Earthly Decay" showcases the band's musical prowess, while their collective compositional skill shines in the artful buildup through various sections leading to a powerful finale.
This episode is sponsored by www.betterhelp.com/TheBarn and brought to you as always by The Barn Media Group.
