Verb Noun, Verb Noun

An almost ludicrously young, as yet unsigned London-based band, Acoasm have escaped their beginnings in duller territory to join the more complex, intense strain of metal known only by the undeniably apt onomotopeia 'djent', and this EP paints a clear picture of their still-forming sound.

As the earliest whispers of 'Verb Noun, Verb Noun' drift from the speakers, first impressions are made that will be thrown aside with the advent of the true vision this EP displays. 'Verb Noun' itself, while certainly charged with melody and executed with a deal of technical precision, only hints at the ideas that truly flourish during the EP's later stages.

A highlight of the album is the more straightforward but decidedly metal 'Lamb Of Prog'. A malevolently odd, off-kilter part begins the track, seguing into a crushing headbanger of a harmonic minor riff. From there, the band join complex rhythmic work, the kind of cerebral brutality typical of djent, rising tension and an engaging climax into a truly great song.

'Space Helicopter' launches with liquid leads, a series of extended add9 progressions that show definite promise. The band then returns to heavier territory, followed by haunting atmospherics over a tight, driving groove and curious but laidback clean guitar work. Alas, this drops away into meanderings that serve as something of an anticlimax. Still, it is this song that draws the band from what could turn into a creative rut, a nosedive into the derivative, to joyful experimentation and defiance of genre limitations.

Part II once more showcases a refusal by the band to affix itself to a formula or tried and tested song structure. While sadly a little brief, it is an expansive, almost cinematic ending to the EP, easing back the intensity in favour of gentle, enveloping synths and soothing leads. It works brilliantly as an alternative to the power of LOP's closing segment, providing instead a warm, touching and satisfying outro.

At Acoasm's worst, they show what the future of djent could be - stale repetitions of rhythmic and melodic conventions, with tempo, dynamic and key shifts abrupt or misused. At their best, they serve up a veritable cornucopia of wonderful grooves and tunes. Acoasm take the sharp, systematic, apocalyptically heavy approach of Meshuggah, the soaring melodies of Periphery, the wild, stream-of-consciousness structures of Sikth and Protest The Hero, the style and mood shifts of Opeth, Agalloch and Between The Buried And Me, and their own passions and ideas, melding them all into something that has broken its limits to become more than just metal, or just prog; something that can simply be called music.

What we are witnessing in 2010 is the true birth of a resurgence in tech-metal. It is the glorious inception of a new era, the formative years of a strain of music still growing from infancy to majestic completion. The new tech-metal wave has yet to reach its highest heights or capture its finest hours. Acoasm perfectly display the movement's overriding feel of potential, a stirring foreshadowing of the truly epic.

As it stands, while far from flawless, this is an enjoyable work by a surprisingly forward-thinking band, and taken on its own merits still manages to create excitement, tension and melancholy through its willingness to embrace all aspects of songcraft. The result is a general blast of an EP, with certain moments that can truly be called beautiful.