Trauma Field is an progressive metal group hailing from Jyvaskyla in Finlad, who recently released their second full-length album “Changing Tides.” All songs (as well lyrics) on “Changing Tides” were written by singer and guitarist Jakko Pessu. The album was recorded between 2015 and early 2016 and was tracked by the band and Joonathan Jaakownaho, who also did the mix.
Welcome to the beautiful nightmare world called “Changing Tides.” With a very focused release to the band’s opus, Trauma Field created an album that has all the potential to push them into upper echelons of charts.
As “outsider” as it feels, “Changing tides” is something that masses can easily identify with. It rather feels as a band with the drive and unfettered ambition to create a standalone marvel which not only awakens the ghosts and cliches from alternative and progressive music’s pompous pasts, but it entirely adds its own voice. And Pesu’s voice is intelligent and familiar, his cold grandiosity spreads out like wildfire as the album plays out.
The opening, title track is going the furthest in imitating feelings of desolation. “Aeons,” “Black Haze,” and “Reborn” are the sharpest-sounding tracks on “Changing Tides.” There is everything here to make Trauma Fe
Field big — ethereal melodies, soaring melodies, and a bombastic sense of “epic” that makes the band’s sound both memorable and powerful.
“Changing Tides” covers a wide range of emotions. There is great songwriting, great performances and an epic quality that is rarely found in alternative rock. Trauma Field have a way of magically turning a quintet into the sonic equivalent of a rock orchestra, and giving strength and bite to their music.
Is this band going to meet a criticism from metal fans? Unfortunately, yes. They are very progressive based, which many would consider a far cry from actually being prog. While there is definitely a feeling that Trauma Field are never going to be full-out prog band, they incorporate prog music into a more accessible songwriting style that is enjoyable, although the music tends to flow in a depressing direction in terms of style and feeling. The band integrates progressive (innovative) ideas into a more accessible sound. But that also doesn’t mean that this is mainstream. It is simply a marriage of two schools of music, and there are certainly enough strange ideas in the music to keep the album fresh for many listens.
In general, Trauma Field have impressed me with their songwriting. They succeeded in making an album that is dramatic, bombastic and larger than life from start to finish. “Changing Tides” is one of the nicest discoveries in terms of new music in 2016.
“Changing Tides” is available from Bandcamp here. Like Trauma Field on Facebook.
Progarchy 