My own custom version of the cover splitting the two covers and removing the number from the title.
I wrote a review for “Automata I” when it was released so I won’t go into any of the details of the songs from that review. With the release of “Automata II,” we now have the full album as it was intended to be released by the band. To be clear, this botched release is thanks to the shitheads at Sumerian Records. They split “Automata” into 2 EPs in an effort to cash in on their newly signed band, Between the Buried and Me.
When I got the promo (yesterday), the first thing I noticed was that the file names had numbers to start them: 7 thru 10. So yes this was initially one album and when you listen to this half, it’s obvious to any BTBAM fan. “The Proverbial Bellow” starts things off and while it’s fucking incredible, it’s clearly not meant to be an opening track. When you listen to it after the track “Blot” (from part I), it’s all the more powerful. Insanely powerful.
“Voice of Trespass” kicks things up another notch. The horns and the overall arrangement effectively marry “Colors” with “Coma Ecliptic.” THIS is a song that sums up just how talented BTBAM are and is a song you can play for anyone who claims the band isn’t prog. The closer to “Automata” is “The Grid” which has a riff that reminds me of Rush for whatever reason. KILLER riff! And the song works perfectly as the closing track, something “Blot” was not supposed to be.
Now that “Automata” is fully released, we can appreciate it as BTBAM wrote and recorded it to be. And it is as good as ANYTHING they have done. Quite honestly, “Automata” is staggeringly great. Of course it’s greatness just makes me all the more angry at Sumerian for fucking up the release just to line their pockets. BTBAM and “Automata” deserve better than that crap label. But I’ll get over that because it’s all about the music and dammit if it isn’t a perfect album.
Rating: Automata II incomplete
Full Album Rating: 10/10
Full tracklist:
1. Condemned to the Gallows
2. House Organ
3. Yellow Eyes
4. Millions
5. Gold Distance
6. Blot
7. The Proverbial Bellow
8. Glide
9. Voice of Trespass
10. The Grid
Label: Shitty Sumerian Records
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BTBAMofficial
Website: www.betweentheburiedandme.com
Rob's Music Planet 
Fun fact: Sumer was in Mesopotamia. Sumerian’s logo is a picture of Egypt. Really, I’m not surprised they suck.
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I refrained from listening Part I until now in order to experience the album as a whole. I concur that Automata is a wonderful album and is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts. I could understand their strategy if there was a distinct difference between both parts, but there’s none and they only dampened the “wow effect” of a singular spectacular album, with two nonsensical releases which have no purpose of existing separately. Such a shame!
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Agree completely with this review. I ‘get’ that splitting into 2 albums might work financially but think it really diluted the impact and meant I couldn’t fully enjoy as an immersive experience. It felt like something was missing from part I. Now that I’ve combined both albums into one, it flows much better and I can really devote some time listening as it was meant to be. It’ll be more listens before I can truly evaluate against the older album but I think it’s superior to Coma and maybe on a par with Parallax (which is saying something)
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