Great progressive elements slowed down by chugging groove metal - A review of Uncured's Medusa

Uncured is a contemporary progressive metal quartet from New York City and Medusa is its first full length effort. The young band convinced me with an energizing concert that made me buy this output. However, Medusa is quite a mixed bag and shows as much promise as downsides.

On the positive side, the four young musicians play their instruments skillfully. The drums are certainly more adventurous than your average groove metal band. The guitar play is also solid and even takes inspiration from jazz chord progressions and lounge atmosphere. The track's calmer passages are particularly inspired. This works very well in the diversified ''Enucleate'' and the complex album closer ''Spontaneous Regeneration'' that is easily the best track on the album.

On the other side, the chugging groove metal riffs with minor djent influences end up sounding tiresome and don't blend in with the musicians' capabilities. The husky lead vocals are also banal and never vary to grab the listener's attention. The second vocalist isn't outstanding either but his slightly more distinctive style is less obnoxious.

If I were to give the band two pieces of advice, I would suggest to hire a proper singer with a wider vocal range and to focus on the band's eclectic progressive soundscapes instead of bringing back exchangeable chugging groove metal riffs.

In the end, Uncured's Medusa is a mixed bag but promising enough to keep the band on the radar and give it another shot in the future. The four musicians are obviously talented, perform very well on stage and are quite young which means that they can still progress. If you like modern metal with a progressive twist, you should give this record a few spins.

Final rating: 60%