The Apparatus - Canvas Solaris

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Canvas Solaris - Penumbra Diffuse

Saturday, 08 December 2007

Editor's rating

8.3

out of 10

Reviewed by:
Chad Coup
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Saturday, 08 December 2007
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Music Information

Track Listing:
01. Panoramic Long-Range Vertigo
02. Horizontal Radiant
03. Accidents In Mutual Silence
04. Vaihayasa
05. To Fracture
06. Psychotropic Resonance
07. Luminesence

Artist: Canvas Solaris
Title: Penumbra Diffuse
Genre: Progressive Metal • Jazz Fusion • Instrumental
Release Date: 17 January 2006
Record Label: Sensory Records
Format: Full-length
Country: United States of America
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Editor review

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful


Overall rating (weighted)		8.3
Musicianship		8.0
Composition		8.0
Experimentation		8.0
Production		9.0
Value		9.0

A big step up from their debut record 'Sublimations,' Georgia's talented trio has delivered an instrumental progressive metal/jazz album of surprising depth. When the previous record was a fast, twisty tech metal record, this one incorporates more world music influences. The tech parts are either separate songs or seamlessly interwoven into the completely gorgeous "new age" parts. This will draw in listeners of many ages because of the serene approach to their 2006 album.

The second track, and most people's favorite, "Horizontal Radiant," is an eleven-minute-plus epic with so many layers of synth and percussion. The members of the band each played a large handful of different instruments from around the world to give the record a kind of futuristic or ancient world feel, depending who you ask. Take a look at this list of instruments the band uses. Nathan Sapp: lead/rhythm guitars, 6-string and 12-string acoustic guitars, MicroMoog synthesizer, guitar synthesizer, Korg Poly-61 synthesizer, Yamaha CS-60 synthesizer; Ben Simpkins: lead/rhythm guitars, bass guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar, mandolin, Roland RS-50, Korg Poly-61 synthesizer; Hunter Ginn: drums, conga, djembe, doumbek, shaker, tabla, timpani, Moroccan clay drums, gong, guiro, castanets, tambourine, glockenspiel; Jeff Wagner: Yamaha CS-60 synthesizer. If that doesn't scream prog rock, I don't know what does.

The technically-inclined tracks have decisive jazz fusion angle, much like Mahavishnu Orchestra, and change quite a bit. They are tinged with an ambient angle that helps draw the listener in, rather than causing disruption in their ears. The ambient parts of the record, most of the record, in fact, are heavily percussive and extremely beautiful. The aforementioned "Horizontal Radiant" is a pretty unique example of the range and depth this band has. It's slow and builds to a very organic atmosphere. The track "Vaihasaya" is a very effective acoustic number and the closer "Luminescence" is a very ghostly track and stands as a wonderful conclusion to the previous material.

That being said, there is a sense of predictability to this album. If you get a four-minute tech track, you're probably going to get an eight-minute ambient track, and so forth until completion. Not bad, just kind of formulaic. They've also got the whole "okay, let's play this part four times...then add another part...let's play this part four times..." etc. It's a good thing that the music they choose to play is good. The band did arrange a lot of music here.

Those wanting a more frantic exercise in this type of music need to pick up their previous record. What is here is quite impressive. CS has an ear for beauty. This is really some of the most pristine, positive music I've ever heard. Great for car trips or any large undertaking, this record might be the group's ultimate masterpiece.

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