Intronaut

“Null” (Goodfellow)

Sounds like: Meshuggah, Between the Buried and Me

REVIEW: 4 / 5

In short: The underground metal supergroup’s debut EP brings hyper-technical extreme music one step closer to mass-acceptance.

With it’s convoluted song structures and emphasis on mind-boggling displays of musicianship, “tech metal” was once considered strictly the territory of only the most cerebral metalheads. But, with their debut EP “Null,” California-based quintet Intronaut proves that it just might be the band capable of raising the subgenre above cult status.

Comprised of ex-members of well-known underground bands such as Impaled, Uphill Battle and Anubis Rising, the music found on “Null” is a true departure from any of the musicians’ previous outfits.

Rather than focusing strictly on one style, Intronaut incorporates the individual experiences of each member’s musical background to create a four-headed extreme metal beast, capable of wreaking utter havoc or of pulling back to give listeners plenty of breathing room.

Using the constantly contorting framework that technical metal is known for and also slowing down the tempo, Intronaut gives listeners a chance to hear exactly what’s going on in each of the album’s lengthy tracks, rather than battering them over the head with constant high-speed chaos. It is the restraint shown on tracks such as “Fragments of Character” that help separate this band from the ever-growing pack.

– Joshua Haun