Sinkadotentree GORDIAN KNOT's second record continues where the first one left off with those contrasts of that heavy style versus the atmospheric passages. I do prefer the debut when we're talking about those laid back sections because of the intricate sounds from the Sick, Warr guitar and Chapman Stick. The heavier sections i feel rock harder on "Emergent" and man i'm so impressed as usual with Jim Matheos who guests on here but also Steve Hackett who lets it rip on the guitar like i've never heard him do before. Bill Bruford is incredible as well which is no surprise of course. We also get CYNIC members Sean Reinert, Paul Masvidal and Jason Gobel helping out. I appreciate the detailed info in the liner notes as it tells us who solos and when on each track. Both GORDIAN KNOT albums are essential in my opinion. Complex, atmospheric and heavy instrumental music played at the highest level.

kluseba This album is for a very special and particular public: open-minded progressive rock fans that don't mind if an album has a jazzy sound and world music influences. I consider myself as a very open-minded person and that's why I gave this album several tries.

It is not easy to get an approach to this album even if the musicians are all very talented and trying to impress and surprise you. But if you take your time to give this album a chance, you will discover many details and interesting passages. The songs really grow on you, but when you listen to this stuff first, you will feel mixed up as there are many random sounds and no chorus, no melodies, no vocals that you could keep in mind. There is a great nothing in your head when you listen to this album for the first time and you might think that band really somehow plays whatever it wants like in a jam session.

There are indeed some songs that exaggerate on this point. The so-called intro "Arsis" is a jazzy tuning in of a bass guitar mixed with some moments of silence. "Grace" is announced as a live song but has nothing of a live atmosphere and presents some random structures and strange melodies in over eight minutes that can become really long and boring if you don't play an instrument yourself or could appreciate the employed techniques. The strange "The brook the ocean", my second favourite opus on this album, works surprisingly well with its random sounds and reminds me a little bit of Genesis' "The waiting room" or Pink Floyd's "On the run" with a little bit more moderation.

There are also some more rhythmic and straighter songs like "Muttersprache" and "Some brighter thing" that are easier to appreciate and could almost please to some purist metal heads. My favourite song is though the very diversified and mystic "A Shaman's whisper" that includes many world music elements and interesting sound structures.

I would say that this album is very interesting from a technical and artistically point of view but it lacks of a straight line and decides to present many particular styles instead of only one particular style which adds a certain compilation and jam mood to the album. It is amazing to listen to this album to learn an instrument or to use this album as an ambient record while you are cooking, reading or simply relaxing, but even though there are many different styles presented on this album, I wouldn't call it profound. A little bit less of all would have been more intense and inspiring in my opinion. That's why I consider this album as an interesting experience worth listening to but not as a masterpiece as many people call it.

But at least and without the glimpse of a doubt and to sum this up for you this album is simply: different!