Interloper – Search Party
Release Date: 11th June 2021
Label: Nuclear Blast
Pre-Order
Genre: Progressive Metal, Technical Death Metal.
FFO: Fallujah, Abiotic, Black Crown Initiate, Ne Obliviscaris.
Review By: Ryan Shearer
Interloper’s latest record Search Party is named after their most recent mission. After a few lineup changes, Interloper embarked on a journey to find their sound, their style that defines them as a stable, forward thinking progressive band. Much like a car crash victim needing a transfusion, the new blood helped. However, unlike a car crash, Search Party is great fun.
Pathkeeper is a fantastic introduction, and covers the spectrum of sound you can expect to hear on Search Party. The tight and lightning-fast riffs don’t let up for a minute, and transition from idea to idea without any jarring shifts.
The fusion-esque bends and pitch shifts during the pre-solo bridge are reminiscent of Fallujah. It feels like a strong example of a modern progressive metal song, with themes and motifs leading each section as it moves through.
Bound To Fall feels like an ethereal journey with sci-fi influences in the synths. The main melody is as pretty as it is unsettling. There is a subtle haunting undertone in the majority of tracks on Search Party, which adds some tension which is so satisfying when it resolves in a big chorus or explosive outro.
Drummer and founding member Aaron Stechauner cuts loose and makes his kit his bitch on Moonlight. It runs at breakneck pace, with 70’s prog rock synth bursts. A memorable chorus hook and a silky solo help Moonlight to be a strong addition to Search Party.
The Wishing Well is a fun and bouncy track overflowing with personality. It uses approaches you’d expect in heavy music, but with a fresh coat of paint that makes it feel like a new sound all on its own. Baring Teeth is an aggressive audio punch in the jaw, with what feels like a contemporary, technical take on old school heavy metal riffs. Harsh vocals take a much more front seat than elsewhere on the album, with Andrew Virrueta showcasing his growling prowess. The cover of Rio by Duran Duran as the album closer is a surprisingly original take on the new-wave band’s classic 1982 track. With additional guitar layers accompanying the synth backdrop at a slightly more energetic pace, it feels like a re-imagining of the track in a different genre rather than a lazy cover trying to capture the original sound. The addition of a guitar solo gives this track such a fun flavour!
The band perform with surgical precision. There is a clean and taut quality to the guitars that is noticeable; it’s setting a gold standard for recording quality that makes other bands in less technical genres seem sloppy. It exudes a similar feeling to listening to Animals As Leaders but more accessible – these 3 individuals are masters of their respective instrument and create complex sounds that feel effortless. The low bends in Cheshire, the legato runs in Dreamlands – all feel as smooth as butter. The tones are delicious; there are moments where the low end doesn’t feel as aggressive as the song thematically demands, but those moments are fleeting.
Guitarists Miles Dimitri Baker and Andrew Virrueta are an excellent pairing; Miles’ incredible skill at writing intricate leads and catchy hooks works dynamically together with Andrew to create consistently interesting songs. I think it’s safe to call back the Search Party. What Interloper were searching for has been found – a cohesive and unique album exuding their individual merits and brimming with creativity.
(4.5 / 5)
