Asymmetric From Nowhere Came

The sounds of a wind blown landscape and of things crashing against each other provide a desolate start to the opening title track. A sequence pulsates to the surface then almost disappears to silence sounding like a siren coming and going as the direction of the wind changes. We are then caught up in a rhythm which drives us forward and a beautiful melancholy lead line shows that Asymmetric are as good tunesmiths as they are at creating sequences.This is much more melodic than your typical retro album but should still be appreciated by people who are in to that style because of the skilful blending of atmospherics with lead lines all held together by a pulsating backbone. We gently float into ‘View From The Horizon’, another more urgent sequence takes over but the main feature of the track is a gorgeous piano melody.

‘The Harmony of the Spheres’ is not exactly a heavy metal blast but not as laid back at the title might make you believe either. Again more attention is paid to melody, both in the lead line and sequencer departments than is usual for an EM album. Very appealing it all is as well, catchy rather than sickly. ‘Overlander’ follows a very similar pattern but ‘Tri Lateral’ is more aggressive and rhythmic. Its good but I would have liked to see a little more variety in the sequence. ‘Race Against Time’ uses constant changes of pace to stop the attention wandering.

‘Equilibrium’ continues the melodic sequencer style developed over the previous tracks and we finish with ‘Beyond Now’, a rhythmic chugger. ‘From Nowhere Came’ should have very wide appeal because it somehow manages to keep its feet in two contrasting camps. For those people who for instance would be in to the melodic sensibilities of, say, the AD label and who wouldn’t usually touch sequencer based albums there are tunes aplenty and for those people who must have a good pulsating base to a track the album certainly provides that as well. Sure the melodies are catchy but by no means twee. (DL)

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