As if the first album by supergroup Alkaloid wasn’t amazing enough, the band is back (finally!) with the followup, “Liquid Anatomy” and somehow they have outdone themselves. Alkaloid features a lineup of incredibly talented musicians that have played in bands like Blotted Science, Obscura and Necrophagist. So the band was going to be fully realized and their debut album “The Malkuth Grimoire” was going to be well executed.

Not only was that album filled with excellent tech death metal but also plenty of melody and great riffs. With “Liquid Anatomy,” Alkaloid have taken all of that and gone SO MUCH FURTHER! Every time I think that someone can’t do something new and fresh, along comes an album like this one. It starts with “Kernel Panic” which is mindblowing. Why? It has riffs that sound like Discipline era King Crimson, or even Yes’ “Changes” (as pointed out correctly by my buddy Rod Millan) which yield from time to time to outright death metal. And it WORKS! If you’ve wondered what Crimson might sound like if they messed with death metal, here it is.

From there, Alkaloid keep things going with “As Decreed By Laws Unwritten” which is equal parts Gojira and Morbid Angel. Groove metal meets prog metal while grind riffs into the fucking ground. This is one of my favorite tracks. You might get a concussion from this one. Speaking of Morbid Angel, the next track is called “Azagthoth” presumably after their guitarist Trey Azagthoth. But it has an interesting vibe to it. Very Middle Eastern and the mix of acoustic with thick heavy guitars is a great dichotomy.

The title track also has a bit of an acoustic vibe while transitioning easily to heavy riffs. “In Turmoil’s Swirling Reaches” is a dizzying track and “Chaos Theory And Practice” is almost off the fucking rails at times. The band really go everywhere you can go on one album. There are times within the same track that they sound like different bands. But it’s still all cohesive.

The final track is an actual epic. Yes I mean a LONG one, almost 20 minutes. Despite all of what comes before it, nothing can properly prepare you for “Rise Of The Cephalopods” which has everything including the kitchen sink in it. THIS is what prog metal bands are supposed to do and as with any great long track, it doesn’t FEEL long. That’s a testament to how well the band do their transitions and arrangement.

Alkaloid have an album that points the direction that progressive metal should explore. Anything goes as long as the songs are good. These songs are all GREAT. “Liquid Anatomy” is a modern day metal masterpiece that merges tech death metal into prog metal better than anyone has done to this point. Yes, this is that good and yes, you need to listen to the link below. Right now.

Rating: 10/10

Tracklist:

1. Kernel Panic
2. As Decreed By Laws Unwritten
3. Azagthoth
4. Liquid Anatomy
5. In Turmoil’s Swirling Reaches
6. Interstellar Boredom
7. Chaos Theory And Practice
8. Rise Of The Cephalopods

Label: Season of Mist
Release Date: 18 May 2018
Website: www.alkaloid-band.com
Bandcamp: alkaloidsom.bandcamp.com/album/liquid-anatomy