Style: Progressive metal (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Dream Theater, Leprous, Devin Townsend, Haken, Frost*
Country: International
Release date: 2 October 2026

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A well-received debut is surely a wonderful feeling, but it leaves a band with a lot to lose. Having put your best foot forward, there’s always a risk of stumbling on the follow-up. ‘Sophomore slump’ will be a familiar term, and it’s not one we’ll be using today. The second release from prog ‘supergroup’ Temic—a band that pulls members from such heavyweights as Haken, Maraton, The Neal Morse Band, and Evergrey—sees the group very much with nothing to lose despite a theme of loss suffusing Ceiba. 

Truth be told, Temic’s debut hasn’t stuck with me as much as I might like. While “Through the Sands of Time” is always a welcome surprise when my library is on shuffle, I don’t revisit the full album that much, and my initial listen to sophomore release Ceiba clarified why rather quickly. For all its strength, Terror Management Theory felt like a ‘getting to know ourselves’ record, a showcase of catchy prog metal fun. Ceiba feels more like a mission statement. Where the debut played it safe, Ceiba dares to push further into complex song structures and ambitious compositional ideas while still retaining the catchiness of the debut. 

“Ashes” and “Beyond the Voice” open the album with vitality and swagger, the former on explosive form with a catchy hook and some brotherly shred from keyboardist Diego Tejeida and guitarist Eric Gillette, the latter opting for a more epic tenor, allowing vocalist Fredrik Klemp to flex his vocal muscles. Meanwhile, “See Myself” injects a heavier vibe redolent of later Symphony X with its gritty vocal filtering and extended shred section, though the standard Temic pop hook is a little at odds with the overall vibe. Proggier sojourns pepper Ceiba and provide some of the record’s best moments. “Ceased to Be” sees Klemp channeling a bit of Einar Solberg with his rich delivery, some top-tier drumming from Simen Sandnes who takes complete command of the kit, and great synth accenting from Tejeida. “Casting Stone” feels like the most credentialled prog track of the record, centering a shreddy main riff, veering into some of the djenty dubstep sound that Tejeida’s known for, and, after a plethora of virtuosic soloing from the two lead instrumentalists, resolving in one of the record’s most rewarding crescendos. 

Ceiba’s highlight, however, is later cut, “Alone”. Opening with an unexpected lead performance from Gillette who duets and harmonises with Klemp throughout, his contrasting timbre proves a welcome addition. The lyrics strikes a relatable tone on feeling a sense of total isolation from the world around you, but also touches on a more optimistic note in its quiet coda, which comes after a frankly brilliant melodic solo from Gillette which is backed by choir and bells for a symphonic feel. “As Long As We Last” provides the grand finale feel, skirting a little close to cliche with its la-dee-da motif, but pulling off the trick by being flawlessly composed and paced. 

Nevertheless, at sixty-six minutes, Ceiba feels bloated; a tight fifty minutes would serve the record well. Aside from the largely pointless scene-setting intro track “Asunder”, other lesser moments include the self-consciously sincere “Parting the Waves Inside” which proves largely forgettable aside from its Frost*-esque synthy solo section, and “The Night Veil” which provides a second stripped back piano and vocals affair which says little that wasn’t already covered by “Broken” earlier in the album. In a few places, Temic fall on the wrong side of self-indulgence, stretching build-ups a little long or adding codas that feel tacked on (“Alone”). These are small quibbles, because Ceiba is largely triumphant, and pushes the band’s composition into new leagues, but there are still some notes in the margins to be addressed.

On a record centred around a theme of loss, Temic show they have nothing to lose, and yet could stand to lose some bloat from a record that tries to cram too much into a tight package. Ceiba sees Temic deliver some of their most accomplished work yet, but its relative self-seriousness compared to the playfulness of their debut proves to be a detriment. Nevertheless, the pedigree of the players remains undeniable, as does the quality of the music on offer. With the sophomore slump successfully avoided, Temic’s star will continue to rise. 

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Recommended tracks: Ceased to Be, Casting Stone, Alone
You may also like: Ihlo, Cold Night for Alligators, Rendezvous Point
Final verdict: 7.5/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram

Label: Season of Mist

Temic is:
– Fredrik Klemp (vocals)
– Eric Gillette (guitars, backing vocals)
– Diego Tejeida (keyboards, sound design)
– Simen Sandnes (drums)
– Miguel Pereira (bass)