Album: Storm Seeker
Artist: ICS Vortex
Genre: Progressive metal
Label: Century Media

Prog metal, at this day and age, seems to have two very different directions that it can go in. First you have the overly wanky and technical metal where all the songs are obnoxiously long (e.g. Dream Theater). Second you have metal that is actually moving outside of the ultra-confining metal sub-genres that the Internet likes to argue about so vehemently. ICS Vortex falls into the latter category here. Having been an integral part in Dimmu Borgir for the better part of a decade and been involved with a few Borknagar and Arcturus albums, ICS Vortex has clearly got the chops to handle his own solo project.

Taking into account the projects that ICS Vortex has worked on, the opening of this album came as no surprise. The first track is a modern black metal jam, for the most part. Things quickly get a bit weird and change pace entirely, and you’re forced to digest Vortex’s very unique vocal sound. Slightly reminiscent of Serj Tankian’s vocal style, Vortex nails each and every vocal line, but the texture of his voice is incredibly striking and doesn’t always fit the mix very well. That being said, once you’ve warmed up to his voice, it sounds incredibly interesting; Vortex’s voice is certainly an acquired taste.

The vocals are not the only portion of Storm Seeker that features interesting and unique textures on the album. Whether it’s the unorthodox instruments used in the opening of “Dogsmacked” or the seemingly erratic switching of musical styles, your ears will always have something fresh and interesting to feast on. At points it becomes overwhelming when the production styles is slightly adjusted from song to song, but as before, it’s gets better as it gets familiar.

Easily the most impressive aspect of Storm Seeker is Vortex’s ability to incorporate so many styles, influences, textures, and ideas into a relatively cohesive package. Due to the sparing constant pieces of the album (the guitar and bass tones, for example), when the album does reach for something out of the ordinary, there’s still at least a small bit of familiarity to not completely disenchant a new listener.

The sheer magnitude of Storm Seeker is truly remarkable. It’s filled with incredibly lofty ideas that, for the most part, are fantastically executed. Marvelous songwriting and a beautiful balance between tight and loose play creates the ideal setting for a prog metal album that will truly challenge what sorts of genres you peg artists as. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Vortex and his work that Storm Seeker is an incredibly unique listen, and certainly worth checking out–whether you’re a fan of his work or not.

Overall score: 8/10
Review written by: Jordan Munson

Check out the album’s opening track “The Blackmobile” below:

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