07/02/23
The Truman, Kansas City, MO
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Poetic and dreamy prog metal, it’s easy to capture the attention when you rock a massive six string bass as the lead singer does. Deep, heart stopping drums bleed through the rhythmic orchestral harmonies and symphonic vocals from the drummer and lead guitarist. The instrumentals alone feel enough to lull one off to a dreamland devoid of the noise. Coupling growls and screams with melodic harmonies and an ethereal landscape of sound. (Spotify)
The madcap excitement of unbridled energy emitted from Thank You, Scientist was what brought me to the show. Having heard their latest album Terraformer, I knew that I had to see this epic soundscape of progressive jazz rock. Featuring a sax, trumpet, electric violin, and the standard bass, guitar, drums, and theremin, there was no doubt that they would deliver an unforgettable show. Somewhere between a crossing of The Mars Volta and Coheed and Cambria, their rhythm begins with slow builds into consistently infused electric jazz poetry. Undeniable rhythm and persistence, the crowd, once led by Rivers of Nihil into a circle pit, now lost themselves in a trance at the sensory overload that comes with Thank You, Scientist. Tour more, see them when and where you can, you will never look back on feeling anything less than hypnotized by their sound. I want more. (Spotify)
Exploring the 10th Anniversary of their Parallax II: Future Sequence album, BTB&M brought their controlled chaos to The Truman. Brought to the stage by Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun, the stage was set with a spatial sci-fi prog rock epic that had the crowd below nodding their heads and throwing their hands in the air. Where the band displayed a standard of control in their stage presence, the lead singer crooned with clear and direct vocals before screaming and engaging with the audience, riling them into a pit. Many times growling and screams feel devolved and basic with little direction or reason, something that BTB&M avoid, while there is a lot of almost completely indistinct vocals, the sound of the lead singers growling and screaming compliment the soundscape that backs him. The standard of what progressive metal that BTB&M have built over the years is a high bar, and one that almost feels limiting at a venue, even as big as The Truman is, it would be incredible seeing them given a larger stage with a bigger light show. They are not to be missed as they tour. (Spotify)
