100 degrees of pure and inventive sound.
Degree Absolute are an incredibly difficult band to sort into the many pigeon-holes of generic music. As a band they keep roots within progressive metal but will often stray from style to style midway through tracks, creating an ever shifting pattern of colours and moods and displaying a whirlwind of unlevelled technical skill. Formed in 1999 by Aaron Bell, a man of over 20 years of musical skill in guitar playing, the material of Degree Absolute may dip into and explore everything from jazz and ambient music to the many types of metal such as doom, thrash and technical metal. At a nearest and very sweeping statement, they are based somewhere between Dreamtheater and Watchtower's progressive melodies and technical skills, displaying very flexible and skilful musical abilities, producing a very crisp and new sound.
The opening track 'Exist' opens up on a knife sharp collaboration of syncopated guitar and drum rhythms, picking up the pace and gradually becoming heavier and building anticipation for the entrance of the vocals. 'Exist' is teaming with incredible displays of technical guitar playing right from the opening beat and would appear to be thoroughly based upon hardcore metal, the sound and riff structure bearing a resemblance to similar techniques used within the music of such bands as Killswitch Engage and Trivium. However, the music retains its progressive nature breaking for impressive guitar solos partway through verses that dance like sunlight breaking through the trees on a summer's day. The vocals struggle to be heard above the elegant sound of the instrumentals below but they are still very strong and add a soothing touch to the sharpened edge of the music. This is particularly so within the chorus which becomes tragically romantic and triumphant in sound, taming the pace of the song but killing none of the power about the sound that makes it truly special.
'Confession' starts out with a beautifully ambient introduction, the bass quietly purring a heartfelt ostinato under a symphony of synth mood which sets the scene for a chilled out ballad of elegant proportions. The bass ostinato is based around a jazz blues scale giving the music a touch of class as the vocals serenade the listener above and guitars join in with a tame approach, plucking a simple pattern of notes defining the vocal lead melody. The track is repetitive in its approach and remains restrained yet emotive, creating tension for an imminent building up of sound that is eventually relieved in style with guitar solos and a powerfully driven chorus of riffs, elegant and melancholy in sound. 'Confession' blends progressive metal solos with the chilled blissful sound of the blues scale of jazz exploring the different vibes the two styles create and blending them together in a way before unheard of, exploding momentarily back into their metal roots by way of a stunning closing solo before fading gently back into the ambient jazz and ending. 'Confession' is strangely melancholic, a track of great beauty and splendour that is clearly a highlight for its sheer diversity and skill. 'Ask Nothing Of Me' is an awe-inspiring heavy example of progressive rock and thrash metal mixed together to create the ideal metal anthem, with aggressive riffs, improvisational solos and soaring bitter vocals that give a twisted and desperate air to the music. Like a symphony dedicated to destruction, this track bleeds pain and bitterness that will tear through you and move you among melancholic vocals harmonies and roaring riffs that will engulf you in sound. The track tames down for a short while into a mood inspiring ambient collaboration between synths and electric guitar that slowly works to build tension and anticipation for an explosive closing solo performed in true power metal fashion.
Degree Absolute are incredibly diverse and so familiar with so many styles of music that their material is incredibly rich and diverse in sound, never tiring to listen to. It is so varied and tightly put together that it would be impossible to pigeon hole it under one specific genre and even though their roots do originally lie within progressive metal, they experiment with other styles so frequently that the label would be inaccurate. It is extremely rare to come across a band so versatile in their approach to their work and Degree Absolute have surpassed so many boundaries, even those thought musically unsurpassable. Degree Absolute's debut release is an innovative and incredibly refreshing piece of work.