Coma Ecliptic is Between the Buried and Me’s most mature and expansive work yet. Long time purveyors of grandiose, expansive metal, the band’s seventh LP is a very heavy rock opera. And a ridiculously well orchestrated one at that.
There’s a few characteristics that are necessary for a concept album to work. Not only does it need to flow, but also it has to be equipped with a completely convincing story. Crucially, while going on a musical journey, the tracks should be enjoyable as single entities. It goes without saying, the songcraft, musicianship and production must be high calibre.
Coma Ecliptic ticks all the boxes, and then some. Influenced heavily by cinema, and specifically films such as Inception, The Truman Show and The Twilight Zone, it’s a metaphysical story of a character who’s fallen into a coma. Along, the way it covers themes such as past lives and alternative realities.
Coma Ecliptic can be enjoyed as a whole, end to end, and the individual tracks can be listened to in isolation. Musicianship and production, as you would expect, are absolutely exemplary.
BY ROD WHITFIELD
