Opensight - The Voice of Nothing
"The Voice of Nothing" is the second release from prog rockers Opensight and from the off it is clear that the band have spent a lot of time and effort perfecting their own brand of prog metal. With a sneaky nod to the likes of Devin Townsend the intricate guitar lines on the likes of 'Former Heroes' sit alongside mind meltingly complex drum patterns before shifting the tone completely into jazz style interludes. The band seemingly effortlessly pulls together this very difficult task and creates spectacular atmospheric soundscapes such as on the brooding string section laced 'Deleted Scenes'.
The band deliver all their songs in short 4 to 5 minute bursts which brings a refreshing level of simplicity amongst the midst of musical mayhem. There does tend to be an unhealthy tendency for prog artists to get lost in their own self indulgence and don't return until the 9th minute of the song. Opensight's more concise delivery works great and manages to pack a whole lot in without losing your attention.
A downside to the EP is singer Ivan David's vocals. While there is no denying he has an interesting and unique voice, it doesn't quite jell well with what the rest of the band is doing. With such a powerful and diverse noise being created David's vocals end up falling a little short, lacking a real sense of power needed to connect. Also despite creating such a unique sound they can happily call their own, as the EP goes on it soon becomes apparent that the band start to fall within their own formulaic frame work. Every song has a very similar feel as the grinding riffs slowly become intertwined with the jazz style interludes exactly where you're expecting them.
Opensight are attempting something very few bands do and even less do well, yet these guys are clearly on the right road. On listening to "The Voice of Nothing" it is immediately apparent that they are a hugely talented bunch and there is plenty on offer here to prove they have a great foundation to build on further. By ironing out a few creases Opensight could have people the world over stroking their beards in approval.