Detailed Reviews [Prisma - 2007 - "Collusion"]

Prolusion. PRISMA is a band from Switzerland, formed in early 2002. They released a demo in 2003, and then started to write material for their first full-length album, “Collusion”, which was released in 2006. Soon, however, the band signed to Galileo Records, who reissued the disc in summer 2007 and made it available worldwide.

Analysis. When listening to Prisma's debut album, a band many will start thinking of is Tool. There's a certain similarity to the music and the moods conveyed; the musical universe explored isn't too far away from the one inhabited by Tool and some other bands exploring similar styles. Other possible influences could be groups like REM, Black Sabbath, Soundgarden and Coroner. Distorted guitar and at times a highly distorted bass are key features to this recording. Drums and percussion are skillfully executed to make a foundation for the compositions as well as adding atmosphere, and the vocals, slightly monotone and distant, manage to add emotional impact and melody to the tunes. The mood of the songs can be quite sombre and at times bleak, though without being depressive or emo. Most tracks follow a set structure at the start, with a brief intro followed by verse and chorus times two. The second half of the songs have greater variation, sometimes ending with a totally new section, now in the form of solo and chorus repeated, now with an outro added. The verse sections of the songs are dominated by bass and drums; vocals carry the melody, and guitars either have a laid back role or are used to add atmospheric sounds to the palette. In most other parts of the tunes the guitar dominates the soundscapes, supported by the rhythm section. As for the musical styles explored, there's just as much variation in those as in my list of possible musical influences. Elements I associate with the various bands mentioned crop up here and there in most songs, and the best description will probably be that this is modern metal slightly similar to Tool, with progressive elements such as change of style and pace to be found in most tunes. The songs are all good, strong compositions from start to finish, with Feeling of Guiltiness, Head Trip, Perseverance and Inner Circulation being slightly better than the rest in my opinion.

Conclusion. Highly recommended to anyone with a liking for Tool and similar bands. Fans of Soundgarden and grunge may also find this release interesting, in particular those enjoying the more intricate outings from the Seattle wave in the ‘90s.

OMB=Olav M Bjornsen: February 22, 2008