By the Thousands are a melodic progressive metal band from Minneapolis, Minnesota, transcending us to a new realm with the release of their third album, Visions of Inner Depth. It is incredibly hard to find an independent band with sound quality that rivals anything found on major labels, and this band delivers repeatedly, showing us that if you put forth the effort, you can create a masterpiece.
The album starts heavy with "Call of the Void", the guitar providing a low tone for the heavy vocals to commence the headbanging that won’t stop until the end of the album. There is a groove to the song that will be making you move no matter where you are, in public or in the privacy of your own home. It is a perfect opener to the album and is a great lead into the title track.
"Visions of Inner Depth" continue the groove and the fantastic riffs, the drums and heavy vocals completing the perfect ensemble. The song slows down right before the chorus, bringing in clean singing that is full of emotion and brings goosebumps to the surface of your skin. The guitar solo is amazing, clean, and very technical, the dedication to the instrument shining through. The song picks back up with low, chugging riffs and deep screams, leaving you wanting the song to continue for long past the end.
The third track of the album, "Despondency", keeps the aggression coming. The monster of a track is brought together by the best solo on the album (which is quite a feat for the album has some amazing guitar work) that blends the perfect amount of emotion and technique. You can feel the passion bleed through, being the true definition of less is more when it comes to guitar work in metal. The song slows down so that it is just the solo and drums, and at the end of the solo the clean singing comes back to throw the listener into a state of euphoria.
"Resurgence" picks up where "Despondency" left off, a soft intro transitioning into a heavier song, bringing you back to your body and making your head bob uncontrollably. The drums and guitar are in perfect sync, letting their inspirations shine through with banger of a track. It slows down at the end, bringing the album to have more than just a musical feel but also a spiritual journey. As one song ends, the next one begins seamlessly and picks up right where the previous dropped off.
"Vanishing Light" builds slowly, setting the tone with a beautiful guitar riff that expands from your headphones into the world around you, adding the drums and screams to create a soundscape in the air around you. "Abhorrence" builds on top of the scape, adding the low, chug riff that gives your neck no rest. The song slows down for a second to build up the break and bring in another impeccable solo.
The seventh track, "Ruined", has the expected slow intro of a progressive track, the vocals hitting hard and creating a simple track that has so much power. As with every track on the album, you can feel the emotions from every member of the band, feeling the pain and sadness in the lyrics brought to life. "Drown the Prosperity" blasts through the slow ending of the last track, the wall of sound almost moving the listener physically. A quick, shred filled solo mixes perfectly within the song, keeping up the fast pace of the song.
"Our Refuge" takes its place as the ninth track on the album, keeping up the heaviness as its predecessor did. The start of the song begins the diverse song, which builds up, slows down and builds up again to the clean vocals that brings chills. A beautifully crafted song, it leads into the final song of the album, which is such a bittersweet moment. Sweet for allowing the listener to have the opportunity to listen to such a masterfully crafted album, but bitter for the journey is about to end.
The final track of the album is "Vanquish", and it is the perfect way to the end the album. There isn’t much to say about this amazing track other than it needs to be experienced, being the end of a voyage that makes you transcend your body and travel with the music to another world. The landscape the rhythmic beat of the drums, the oceans the fluidity of the guitar and the atmosphere the beautiful cleans and powerful screams.
You need to buy this album now, especially if you are a fan of Veil of Maya, Born of Osiris, Animals as Leaders or Periphery.
Band members:
Adam Sullivan - Bass
Carlos Monserrate - Drums
Dustin Korth - Guitar
John Riviere - Guitar
Hondo Torres-Pena – Vocals