TEMIC - Ceiba

An international band spanning between Mexico, Norway and the United States, TEMIC is a combination of established artists from differing musical backgrounds, weaving something new together. They are evergrowing, always diversifying their roots and branches.

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Fredrik Klemp’s powerful vocals echo in “Ashes” and “Beyond the Voice”. “Ceased To Be” is harmonic. “Broken” is incredibly atmospheric, a melancholy blooming with a smooth and vulnerable voice spaced with ethereal echoes. It is raw and simple, necessary in its state. Klemp’s voice has a heavenly, operatic range and expression.

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“Casting Stone” changes up things some creative riffs and rich bass. It feels like several songs in one with its tonal changes, djent elements and electrical feel. It ends on a piercing solo full of structure and elaborate notes, shifting yet again with the introspective track, “See Myself.”

Ceiba is full of diverse sound. Miguel Pereria creates atmosphere in grounded, groovy basswork, unifying with Eric Gillette’s dynamic riffs and melodies. Diego Tejeida’s keyboards bring such an introspective, otherworldly sound to the music, such as in “Parting the Waves Inside.” Simen Sandnes’ work on drums is constantly providing interesting shifts, thunderous beats and dynamic time signatures. Every piece of the puzzle connects with seamless lines.

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“Night of Veils,” a gentler song again, touches the heart and breaks up the more intense tracks of the album. “Alone” is another song close to the heart, a story that is so relevant to many. The finale, “As Long as We Last” ends on a hopeful note, solidifying loss as not the end, but a stage on ones path in life.

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Ceiba is a carefully crafted narrative, full of experimental riffs, ethereal waves and lush soundscapes that accompany a philosophical journey. It is technical finesse, well-rounded and unique. If given the time to digest and listen to, one will find a fresh take on the progressive genre in Ceiba as a concept.

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SCORE 10/10

Reviewed by GhostintheamouR