Look to windward - Kepler

Look To Windward

Kepler
self-released; 2014

3.7 out of 5

By Ted Rogen

Look To Windward is recording project started by Andrew McCully who recently released a four- song EP entitled Kepler. Kepler is an intense experience to say the least. On their Bandcamp page it says layers and layers and layers, which is what this music is made up. McCully fills their music up to the brim with all hearable frequencies of the human ear.

With so much going on within the songs I was immediately impressed by the recordings. There was separation despite the mass array of instruments and sounds. To my surprise Kepler was a complete DIY type project that was mixed and mastered in MCcully’s home studio. Kudos to McCully for pulling this off.

Musically, the music mixes elements of metal and progressive rock. I was reminded of Evanescence at points when the female vocals entered but in reality Look To Windward feels a lot less confined. Their songs go in unexpected places and introduce instrumentation you wouldn’t necessarily expect but work. 

The first track “Dwell” is not going to be ignored. It’s a constant barrage of guitars, vocals, drums and more that are turned up to ten. They split vocal duties between male and female vocalists, which are very welcome before the first major transition that comes about during the two-minute mark. A lush, warm violin dances with a surplus of tones that sounded like bells. No pun intended the band doesn't dwell on that part very long before ripping it from the esophagus and implanting a barrage of distorted guitars and drums. Towards the end they implement horns, which worked very well in the song.

“Mantle” is a hardcore song that introduces the all too familiar growl of death metal. The song reaches its climax a little after the three-minute mark when the instrumentation combines to make a surge of sound that washes over you. They close with an eleven-minute epic called “Kepler.” All I have to say is buckle your safety belt and take the ride.

Look To Windward isn't your typical progressive metal type project. There is a lot going on here that lesser bands wouldn't know how to pull off.

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