The Block Loch Vostok is a progressive metal band from Sweden. As with most modern death metal, especially progressive death metal, their sound centers around the Gothenburg sound, which seems to be making a huge surge throughout the metal community. The fast riffs and harmonic guitar lines that have made the Gothenburg style popular over the past couple of years is very evident on this album, and is quite possibly the biggest factor of the album itself.

The music itself is very good, and comes in two versions. Some of it is simple guitar driven songs with blast beat drums to accompany it, while others are more complex and intricate prog melodies. The guitar work is absolutely excellent on this album and encompasses many styles from traditional heavy metal melodies to more djent flavored riffs. One thing I’ve noticed about newer progressive metal bands is that more and more of them are using this djent sound, which I’m not that big a fan of. On this album, though, it blends right in and I actually like what it does for the album. The vocals on this album are another high point. Like most Gothenburg style bands they use both clean and harsh vocals. The growls on this album are really cool, and well done, while the clean vocals kind of out there in terms of style. I enjoyed them a lot, but for some people they might take some getting used to because they really aren’t fit for the genre that much. Usually the clean vocals are deep and dark while these vocals tend to be a bit higher, and don’t have as dark of a tone. I love how they go with the music though so it was a big high point for me. One thing that stuck out to me the most about this album was the use of blast beats. Sometimes there would be blast beats during slow sections, like on “In the Wake of Humanity”, and this added a cool element that isn’t usually found in this style of music.

Any fan of melodic death metal would be as pleased as I was with this release, and many progressive fans will find this a good listen as well. The progressive leanings mixed with the djent riffing, and melodic death metal passages provide a great listen and an album well worthy of 4 stars.

Time Signature Taste the flame...

Genre: progressive modern metal

The Gothenburg sound has made its way from melodic death metal into the worlds of metalcore, power metal, traditional metal, industrial metal and progressive metal, and it certainly serves as the base sound of the brand of progressive metal found on Loch Vostok's "Dystopium".

But "Dystopium" is not a melodeath release - it is a progressive metal release with the Swedish melodeath sound. The guitars are generally very heavy on this release, and a lot of the riffage is heavy and groovy with the occasional djent element. The tunes generally sound big and kind of epic, but actually they are actually kept reasonably short (for progressive metal), never exceeding 6:30 minutes of length. Amidts the heavy and groovy passages, Loch Vostok insert wee progressive details and funny elements as well as odd time signatures.

Fans of extreme metal will be pleased to know that Loch Vostok draw extensively on extreme metal, and you can expect blastbeats and growling to be on equal footing with the melodic and progressive elements.

The clean vocals might take some getting used to because, like on Ashen Reign's "An Angels Burden" they are softer and less powerful than what you might be used to from metal music in general, but give it a couple of spins, and you should be able to appreciate it.

Recommended to fans of progressive metal, melodeath and modern metal in general.