review: Caveat - Alchemy (prog heavy/extreme from Canada)

Caveat

Alchemy

11 February 2022

Caveat (2004-2008; 2015-present) kept sounding theatrical and even circus-like in its more-is-more progressive sound. For some reason, it seemed like more-is-more was a too-much and too-many sound. Too much busyness and too many elements going on at the same time. Even though this Canadian band could play technically, if they so wished, they are more like a Dream-Theater-on-steroids or like Rush-gone-mad form of prog.

Imagine that this band lovs Dream Theater, but the Canadians realize that people cannot bang their heads Dream Theater. Caveat is, to a certain degree, traditional progressive heavy metal, combined with extreme metal, with riffs and shredding, and with melodic singing, a type of high-energy, agile, sonically athletic sound that people can mosh, dance or tap their foot to. There is growling and there are some heavy riffs that often sound part traditional and part prog extreme. It helps that there is plenty of melody. There is a female and a male voice. There is male growling and male singing. It’s all a lot to understand at first, but it’s good, energetic, while they incorporate some brutal elements and spices of technicality, featuring a skilled rhythm section in which the drumming and bass are important, active elements.

In some ways, the second half of the album is more ear-friendly. Listeners might understand the second half of the album faster than the first half. For instance, the song “Until Dawn” is a much mellower melodic song, while in the first half the song “Infinite” is the band flexing all its muscles. They pretty much open up the entire toolbox and put on a clinic on everything that they can do. Which way would you like to start? “Infinite” will give you a jolt; “Until Dawn” will ease you into the labyrinth.

Alchemy by Caveat

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Caveat - Infinite