Kylesa is a blossoming example of a metal band with crossover appeal. This appeal stems from Kylesa's stylistic dexterity, a quality that became fully apparent in the success of their last album, Static Tensions, a delicious slab of metal that contained equal parts punk, hardcore and sludge. It was a dominating release that solidified Kylesa's place amongst the metal elites. Much of Spiral Shadow continues in the vein of its predecessor, but it also expands their sonic diversity to encompass even more of the distant fringes of the genre, and the overall effect is a mixed bag.
As was the case with Static Tensions, song structures are as tight as ever on Spiral Shadow as Kylesa allay their damage with a cool and calculated efficiency. But the intensity thrust upon the listener is not always sustained, as demonstrated on album opener ""Tired Climb."" The song begins with a limber yet punishing rhythm that immediately harkens back to previous album opener ""Scapegoat."" However, whereas ""Scapegoat"" constructed this seed of furious momentum into an equally blistering chorus-melody, ""Tired Climb"" sputters out, offering only a lazy interlude of Laura Pleasant's airy vocals. This drop in pace is frustrating, but it's a tendency that runs a current through the album's second half, a set of songs that shows Kylesa's willingness to slow things down and explore new musical territories.
Unfortunately, such explorations yield little payoff for the listener. ""Distance Closing In"" meanders for a while under a playful bass line, only to break off into a chugging riff showcasing Pleasant's awkward singing ability, which sounds nearly comical juxtaposed against the heaviness behind it. It doesn't sound pretty; worse, it sounds nü-metal. But it doesn't end there. Quickly followed by this tragic misstep, ""To Forget"" and ""Forsaken"" rehash similar formulas to equally lame results. It is sad because the potential energy of these songs remains intact, but the vocals spanning all these tracks doesn't enhance it any way. Instead, it leaves Kylesa sounding neutered, weakened and––at worst––generic.
But all is not lost for Spiral Shadow. Kylesa's old tendency to pummel the listener's still pop up in tracks like ""Drop Out"" and ""Crowded Road,"" which offer a savory taste of the warring drums and jagged walls of guitar that lay the groundwork for Philip Cope's caterwaul of vocals. And without straying too far from the metallic side of things, album standout ""Don't Look Back"" shows that Kylesa can write a melodic song without compromising their metal machismo. It begins with a riff that sounds like a gritty re-working of the Smashing Pumpkins' ""Today""––and like ""Today,"" ""Don't Look Back"" is anthemic, replete with a riff of melodic trajectory and a heartfelt message to match. A song in which Cope reflects about his youth and belts to the listener, ""Keep moving / Don't look back! / Keep moving / Don't look back!"" It is one of the best songs Kylesa has ever written, and it is a reminder of the youth as much a reminder of the kind of brilliant album Spiral Shadows could have been.
As partial as I am to Kylesa's more threatening material, the first half of the album bodes far better than the second. For all of Kylesa's progressive weight, the strongest successes are those that stay grounded in what they already know. Spiral Shadow is an inconsistent listen, but amidst the murk there is gleaning that can be done.
