This Greek entity was initially crossed back on the 2022 EP titled Thalassa, and here we are two years later already as WAVES IDLE SYMMETRY returns with Ametron, the first full-length gaze into their dark visions. This work expands on the debut’s maniacal course, with heightened doses of melody and power surging through its rawness, and the spirit of Ametron is laced with some other notable features reflecting a vitality that easily commands recognition.
Middle Eastern styled acoustics set a curious atmosphere at the onset, and this combined with clean vocals during the arpeggiated trance that follows suggests a more progressive direction, but those elements prove deceptive once the harsher tones and rabidity take over. An organic quality is perceived in the riffing as it meanders through various noted forms and tremolo harmonies, which progress in ways to capably join cold primitivism with some comparatively upbeat tones, and moments of intoxicating power are also forged between chord and melodic interactions. This feature is first encountered on “Waves Aligned,” and its impact is magnified from a slowed transitional pace, reflecting the strong influence of rhythm on evoking these different energies. Certain riffs are further distinguished rhythmically by gallops and strides driven across the aural planes, and “Resilient” abounds with such variations, including a pulse in the main riff timed around its notable tremolo ascension. Tremolos eventually take lead on the title track, and their soloing effect reacts with the surrounding notes to mark another potent phenomenon.
A vast atmospheric void echoes through the opening sequence of “All These That Ends,” and its distinction channels another dynamic into the mix that favorably breaks the overall sonic consistency. Aural varieties are noted again in a splendor emanating around certain tremolo sections, and this style of riffing continues to weave labyrinthian structures across other arpeggiated and heavy layers, demonstrating a technical aspect within the craft that also raises its capacity for atmosphere on “The Sun of Despair.” The drumming shifts intuitively to accommodate dismal evocations with their own versatility, and one instance here turns militant alongside a couple of spoken parts. This dually captures some different expressions in the vocals, which seem to become more ravaging as the work progresses, and compositional energies likewise reach a zenith during “The Pillars of Dignity.” Hostility is transferred effectively to a rhythmic stride for the final exchanges of melody and leadwork, and that epic conjuring is followed by a drearier melodic approach on the closing hymn, with slower paces again carving those shades deeper into a dissonant end.
The subject matter surrounding this sonic abyss is plagued by dark psychological influences, and they weave a twisted network that is likened atmospherically to seas at the onset, which aptly carries the storming layers of anguish and contempt detailed throughout. Lines that involve becoming “Estranged from ourselves as we grow older and wiser” contemplate the impact of an internal struggle over time, and this intensifies malignantly within as other noteworthy references appear, including allusions to defiance against ordinary reality on the title track. Here “The symmetry between the idle waves” is noted for placing the band’s name in a context that provides some insight into its meaning, and the course progresses with nihilistic views of emptiness and inevitable finalities realized, with an overarching negativity then being directed at others on “Mindweaver.” Persevering qualities are found at multiple points, especially when having “Learned to heal the wounds that I’ve created” on “The Sun of Despair,” and “The Pillars of Dignity” demonstrates further mettle in “Carry your burdens with no sorrow” before succumbing to a last chaotic act. The familiarity with navigating lone tormented journeys is recognizable across these verses, and that drive to continue ahead despite the difficulty is also very relatable.
WAVES IDLE SYMMETRY has focused a considerable effort into these new compositions, and it is observed clearly among the meticulous ravaging of their riffs, along with the different melodic specters coursing tortuously through the ruins. Another striking characteristic merges those elements to form several haunting and oppressive highlights, and they are achieved while maintaining an organic appeal in the sound and craft. The band’s identity could possibly benefit from exploring the atmospheric side further, an idea coming mainly from the more psychedelic or avant-garde suggestions of the cover art, but Ametron still possesses a mighty core that draws interest toward where the trip will land on the next offering.
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