Review: Soulsplitter – Connection

Style: Modern Progressive Metal (Mixed vocals)
Review by: Christopher
Country: Germany
Release date: 11 March, 2022

One of the greatest pleasures when it comes to following the prog underground is seeing a promising band deliver on the potential you initially saw in them. Salutogenesis, by German five-piece Soulsplitter, was a brilliant debut hampered by the lack of a coherent sound; the talent was undeniable, but each track was so different from its companions that the whole felt like a dressing box full of potential musical identities which the band were trying on. Fortunately, in sophomore effort Connection, they’ve found the identity they were in search of and it’s magnificent. Soulsplitter have settled on a modern progressive metal sound that recalls the likes of Haken, and The Contortionist’s cleaner work without ever sounding derivative. Huge, layered production, creative compositions, gorgeous melodies, and flawless performance suffuse this album. 

Opening track “Disconnected” sets the scene for the entire album to come, depicting a sense of disconnection between the demands of the everyday world and the sense that life must surely contain more than this. As vocalist Sami Gayed croons ‘it is your birthright to be free/I am the author of my future’ the first step on the album’s journey is made. For the next forty minutes you will be witness to a psychedelic journey inward; self-actualisation as a battle against the limitations of the world and the unexamined self. Gayed’s soft yet strong cleans, which recall Haken’s Ross Jennings at times, are the perfect conduit for such a bold, existential message.

Our journey continues inwards with “Incineration” which portrays ego death as a necessary moment of terror on the path to something better. Here, Gayed’s venomous harsh vocals make the first of two appearances on the album, and provide a stunning contrast against the more ethereal tone of the dominant clean sections. “Erosion” sees the self adrift, disconnected in an ambient soundscape which builds to a chaotic climax as the realisation comes: ‘I begin to understand/That within my cavity/The seed already lies/To exalt my senses’. The track “Thrive” builds upon this revelation, finding joy and a sense of unity in this transcendent knowledge, and that sense of the sublime is palpable in the building trepidation and eventual release into one of the best guitar solos I’ve heard in a long time. 

Indeed, the guitar work of Simon Kramer deserves all the kudos. The soloing on this album is some of the most impressive, melodic and downright jaw-dropping guitar work I’ve heard in years. From the understated, brilliant tapping sequence in “Disconnected”, to the sweep-picking that opens “Incineration”, to that sublime solo that elevates “Thrive”, Kramer is a master of his instrument, effortlessly throwing out bar after bar of perfection. The riffs, too, are varied: djenty rhythms vie with reverb-laden chords and tasteful clean picked sections.

However, the MVP award has to go to pianist Lewin Krumpschmid. Piano colours every composition, floating virtuosically through verses, reservedly augmenting heavier sections, and providing solos that match the guitar work in terms of majesty and talent. The entire album has a huge, layered sound, aided by strings accompaniment, ambient synths, and even some trumpet, but it never sounds cluttered. The impeccable production deserves praise here; every element is given room to shine both individually and as part of a greater whole.

The album closes with the double whammy of the instrumental track “Gratitude”, which showcases the band’s already obvious proficiency even further, with Kramer and Krumpschmid duking it out on their respective instruments; and “Reconnected” which, rather appropriately, feels like it explicitly connects the rest of the album into a grand finale. The piano intro reprises the chorus melody from “Disconnected”, the harsh vocals from “Incineration” return, and the chaotic lead licks feel like an evolved version of those in “Gratitude”. As the song closes with Gayed proclaiming “Hold the ground you‘ve found at last/Embrace the now, step on your path”, our journey reaches its end. Having been deconstructed we are whole again, and better for it.

Connection is a defiant announcement that Soulsplitter have honed their skills and are ready to take the progressive metal scene by storm, and, indeed, could even become one of the genre’s leading lights. Every member is at the top of their game, working together in perfect synchrony, and they make it sound effortless. This is an album that deserves your attention and earns your admiration, both instrumentally and thematically. Connection is everything I wanted Soulsplitter to achieve and more, and I hope it proves to be the breakthrough that kick starts a long and distinguished career.

Recommended tracks: Disconnected, Thrive, Reconnected
Recommended for fans of: The Contortionist (particularly Clairvoyant), Haken, David Maxim Micic
You may also like: Umpfel, Effuse, Soledad, Aquae Furtivae, Mental Fracture
Final verdict: 9/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Official Website | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Independent

Soulsplitter is:
– Sami Gayed (vocals)
– Simon Kramer (guitars)
– Felix Jacobs (bass)
– Fenix Gayed (drums)
– Lewin Krumpschmid (keyboard)