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With The Blueprint Dives, the Christian metal band Extol have taken a turn towards a more experimental and progressive sound. On each of their previous releases the band has become more progressive and less extreme and The Blueprint Dives only continues this trend. This CD is without a doubt one of the most difficult releases I have heard in a while and after two weeks I am still having trouble getting into it. The band that immediately came to mind when I first listened to The Blueprint Dives was nu-metal act the Deftones. The guitar sound used by Extol is very similar to the Deftones work. Dissident and minor key chords are layered on top of odd time signatures and topped off with the screamed vocals of Peter Espevoll, who for the most part opts for a mid to high range rasp. Clean vocal passages are also scattered throughout the mix.
One thing that struck me about The Blueprint Dives is that it is almost completely devoid of catchiness. It is very hard to differentiate between the tracks and there are almost no discernable hooks. Whether this is a problem or not depends on the willingness of the listener to take the time necessary to understand it. Two songs to check out to get a feel for the album are “Pearl” and “From the Everyday Mountaintop”. The former is a nice fairly melodic ballad, while the latter is a more uptempo song that builds up to a cathartic climax.
In conclusion, The Blueprint Dives, is without a doubt one of the most progressive releases of the year. Adventurous listeners will undoubtedly find something they like in The Blueprint Dives, but the album is definitely not for everyone. While I respect what Extol is trying to do, I personally found it to be a little too challenging and unorthodox to give a full recommendation. If you do decide to pick up the Blueprint Dives, my advice to you is to be patient and take your time with the disc. Only then can you solve the mystery of The Blueprint Dives.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Gloriana |
| 2. Soul Deprived |
| 3. In Reversal |
| 4. Pearl |
| 5. From The Everyday Mountaintop |
| 6. Another Adam's Escape |
| 7. The Things I Found |
| 8. Lost In Dismay |
| 9. Essence |
| 10. Void |
| 11. The Death Sedative |
| 12. Riding For A Fall (bonus track) |
: 53.27
| Buy other Extol albums |
