A BATTLE OF AMBIENCE AND HEAVY GROOVE // Tesseract - War of Being // Composer Reaction & Analysis

Bryan reacts to and talks about his thoughts on TesseracT - War Of Being (Official Music Video)
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0:00 Intro
00:34 Reaction
11:38 Analysis - An Interesting Contrast
14:10 Analysis - Opposition and Merging
17:17 Analysis - A Bit of Repetition
20:14 Analysis - Nuanced Performance
23:17 Analysis - Lyrical Dive
30:47 Outro
#reaction #tesseract #djent

[@vilihendrix]

So, as far as spiritual djent goes, this is top notch stuff. Tesseracts lyrics have always had this ethereal nirvanic touch, where it almost seems as these musicians are enlightened beings sort of reversing their own state of being to come to the land of mortal beings, guiding all of us towards where they are. The goal in this life ultimately is to be released from suffering, which all this "vague" lyricism points toward. We're witnessing subtle but powerful pointing towards reality. Grasp at the message and inquire in what it means.

[@paravarium]

I'm a huge fan of the band and even for me the song took a couple listens to completely fall into place. Now it just grows more with every listen. To be fair this is the longest song on the album and the center piece.

[@greigns7781]

I thought that the album was going to have a 13-minute track as well?

[@paravarium]

​@@greigns7781 1. Natural Disaster [6:06] 2. Echoes [5:46] 3. The Grey [6:07] 4. Legion [6:00] 5. Tender [4:37] 6. War Of Being [11:02] 7. Sirens [4:57] 8. Burden [6:34] 9. Sacrifice [9:34]

[@greigns7781]

@paravarium thanks for this bro. That's wild that they dropped the longest track as a single 😂

[@dek86s]

YES!! that outro was sublime!! it gives me chills every time, this track will grow on you as you listen more of it trust me!!

[@ambient6668]

To me it feels like Tesseract wanted to revisit the same compositional structure as the epic 18 minute Concealing Fate (parts 1 to 6 ) but adapted to their mature sound that they have acquired over the rest of the discography, taking the best of each era. In the Portals live compilation project we see how Dan's vocal takes on the songs from their debut are different and he won't be comfortable recreating those exactly if he can at all anymore and of course Altered State songs were done by a different vocalist with an unreachable range for Dan. I think this song and perhaps the entirity of the upcoming album will showcase an adaptation of the epic song format to fit Dan's matured vocals and the bands latest melodic writing to feel like their first couple of albums but with the odd bite-sized songs in the format of Polaris and Sonder albums. It's a wonderful idea and I am absolutely stoked to hear the new album. On the song itself, I dare say that being critical of it kinda ruins it for me. It's an emotional journey and while you can argue about certain "artist's choices" in the composition, this track is quite titanic and passionate. It feels very genuine thanks to Dan's beatiful vocal deliveries in spite of the band re-using all djent clichés after all these years. I admit that on my first listen I wasn't quite sure how much I really liked it but on the second and third listens I felt much more connected to the structure, the melodies and story. It IS the recognizeable Tesseract we all hope to see and hear create more angelic ambiance and groovy riffs so I am not fazed as much by the revisiting of old methods. In the end it's how you apply them that matters and I felt strongly positive about the band's consistency on a technical level.

[@CriticalReactions]

As someone who has only recently heard of Tesseract I'd never notice how this is a sort of culmination of all their experience and styles over the years. I can't really appreciate it *yet* but it's awesome to hear about a band evolving and growing in this capacity. As for the critical dive ruining it for you, you're not the only one. Some people prefer that magic tricks remain mysterious, that learning the secret behind them ruins it. At the end of the day though, as long as people are enjoying art it doesn't matter if they've dug to the bottom or are casually enjoying something. We all appreciate this stuff and that's what matters. Thanks for the thoughtful and informative comment btw! :)

[@ambient6668]

@@CriticalReactions Indeed, there is a nod to every other album in this one song. I believe you reviewed a couple of their songs in the past but I had the notion you were more familiar with them for some reason. I can guess by your commentary which album you'd enjoy the most but I warm-heartedly recommend exploring their works if time allows you for it! Perhaps a full album review will grant you one such chance ; ) I discovered this band by chance because I saw a bass playthrough video that made me think " oh, that's an awesome bass guitar...let's check it out! " (the "King" playthrough, for all the readers ) and ever since Tesseract completely shifted my perception of the modern metal scene. Granted their debut release was in 2010 and we already had the likes of Meshuggah and other amazing dejnt, tech-death bands but they have been around long before and I can't imagine how much influence they had on other bands prior to 2010. While a lot of modern metal these days is wild and tends to try at every human aural and technical limit, this band maintains an accessibility with a heaviness that complements it very damn perfectly and that was kind of an "eye-opener" moment to me. If you dig this band, they'll stick for life with you, I would say.

[@ProgPro96]

I heard about this song being released but didn't listen to it until seeing this video, it reminds me a lot of their first album One. I really wasn't expecting the harsh vocals. Excited for the new album!

[@cyanihilist]

Couple fun facts! This is the bands first concept album, which tells the story of characters in this place called "The Strangeland" where they exist within. The one character seen besides the samurai in the video is "The Scribe". There's little chunks of this story here and there, but the Deluxe release they're putting out will likely touch on it further. Also, the lines "to dream of flowing locks untwisted, and auburn eyes glistening as you weep" is a reference to the game The Witcher 3, which Dan fell in love with. The lyrics from that track are: "To dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy. Of violet eyes, glistening as you weep."

[@ChristopherSchackt]

One little correction: Their first ever release was the Concealing Fate EP; a concept EP. Their first LP One contained those 6 songs as well. Their second LP Altered State was, yet again, a concept album. Polaris was not a concept album, but their following LP Sonder was. And of course, War of Being. Long story short; every release they've had, except Polaris, have been concept albums. :)

[@progperljungman8218]

Hey! Missed this being released. Been following them since they were a small band celebrated within the djent-nerd community. Thing with them is their unique (Before others started copying it) atmospheric style showing that beauty and heavy djent riffing pairs very well (when executed right). This new single to me is a perfect example of being "fresh" while keeping your identity. Many surprising new touches while still unmistakably TesseracT. Remember the days when I saw them at a very small stage - standing literally a couple of meters (2-3) from the band. The Contortionists were support act... I'm so happy that they've made it pretty big now. Already at a concert some five years ago, they had a significantly bigger audience and I imagine today, they've doubled the numbers. Well deserved! Great reaction and review Bryan! I can see what you're struggling with, but this might be a band that invites you to drop to much focus on the "djenting" and getting accustomed to it just as another kind of "atmosphere"/"tool" . Just like you don't hone in to much on other "classic" styles of playing (once accustomed) but rather what they do with it. Absolutely agree that overuse of any "tool" gets dreary. TesseracT are so much more than just a "djent band".

[@floridabelle]

👋🏼 Hey there Progperl! Have you heard this yet? kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKrYlJyve9yho6s It's a new single release from Orbit Culture, and it's awesome.

[@paravarium]

Captain Morgan gets to hear this song in a couple of hours thanks to me lol 😅

[@floridabelle]

@@paravarium That's too cool. L The growling might do him in 😂 but overall I think he'll like it. I may check it out live, and say hi, but am unable to chat otherwise. Thanks for the heads up.

[@paravarium]

@@floridabelle haha yeah, won't top Dan's performance on A Dream In Static for him.

[@progperljungman8218]

@@paravarium I think he'll like it! (to late for me to participate though - send my love 😁)

[@jonathanhenderson9422]

Even though I think the whole djent scene is overcrowded and the sound overplayed, I always appreciated Tesseract's ability to pay attention to textural layers and tonal nuances. Without the atmospherics the mathy rhythmic riff assault becomes a bit "musical wallpaper" after a while, but they find ways to make different sections feel differently by what's going on in the production. My "issue" with them is that too often their songs go by and while I find myself appreciating moments as they're happening nothing sticks in my head afterwards, and this is similar. I enjoy it moment-to-moment but I suspect that in a day I won't be able to recall any of it. It's still really good for what it is, and for those who love this style enough to listen to it a lot I suspect it would become more memorable with repeat listens.

[@tallicadude]

Ur ear is fantastic new sub!

[@progperljungman8218]

Yup! He's fantastic in many ways!

[@Cynips]

Couldn't stop thinking this reminds me of The Ocean.

[@hedlund]

I've always loved how they manage silence/room/space and contrast in their music. Tess is one of those few, along with Vildhjarta, Corelia, Brahms, and a few others, I've never been able to listen to without feeling like someone's speaking directly into my damn soul, lyrics or no. Always found it weirdly cathartic, too.

[@PhoenixDecim]

Dan, the vocalist is making a game that allows us to explore this world that they have created. It is probably going to be released by the end of 2024. It is a massive undertaking for Dan who is new to game development and I hope everything pans out well.

[@Ryl0o]

Wow that's some news I havnt heard, I try to tune into his streams but with the time difference and my work schedule I usually miss them

[@CriticalReactions]

That's wild! I hope he has a team. I'm assuming it's gonna be 3D given the animations in this video and that's no small task. I've made a handful of small, hobbyist 2D games in the past and even with that experience 3D was intimidating to me.

[@janeg6759]

This might be the first song I've heard from TesseracT. It might be a grower. I'll have to check them out. I've heard of them and they seem to be up my alley. Nice analysis as always.

[@progperljungman8218]

Of course they are! 😁

[@ProgPro96]

Their album Altered State might be a good place to start

[@janeg6759]

@@progperljungman8218 you know it 😁

[@janeg6759]

@@ProgPro96 thanks, will do!

[@zyklqrswx]

long time fan here, you're in for a treat. for my money I have to recommend the live studio session of their debut EP Concealing Fate

[@mapex3636]

Man, great review bud!!! Love Tesseract.

Hey Bryan, thanks so much for featuring this song, you got me back into Tesseract (just in time for the new album) :D (and you got me into them the first time too, back when you did Utopia)

[@CriticalReactions]

Glad to hear. I still haven't had a chance to check out a full album yet so War of Being will most likely be my first.

@@CriticalReactions I only knew the Polaris album thus far and that's a no-skip masterpiece for me haha. But now I recently listened to Sonder and I loved that too. I heard pieces of their older stuff as well but that's something I still need to get to. Polaris is still my fave. So atmospheric and emotional. And groovy! Def gonna see them on their tour this time.

[@dek86s]

@you need to dig in to altered state!! so good and ONE also!!

@@dek86s I listened to Concealing Fate on PORTALS the other day. d a m n!!

[@theeviljames]

You might enjoy Legion -fav some of mine from album

[@NeoTher_]

That sure is groovy

[@ckokomo808]

I remember you checking out the “Of Matter” studio performance and loving it. This song to me captures all their albums and their growth/exploration over the years. - Harsh djent of One - Cohesive storytelling of Altered States - Ambience/tenderness of Polaris - Grandiosity of Sonder The lyrics always hit deep. They touch on, at least imo, deeper aspects of reality and what it means to be human. Even without lyrics, they convey this depth. Their music has a cohesion and simplicity despite the complexity - a mirror/reflection of life and wisdom. They are True Artists up there with many other Greats.

[@CriticalReactions]

That's awesome! It really does feel like the culmination of their collective experiences.

[@loststatemusic]

The lyrics "to dream of flowing locks untwisted and stormy, and auburn eyes glistening as you weep" are a direct reference to Witcher 3 and the song "The Wolven Storm" from the game: "to dream of raven locks entwisted, stormy, of violet eyes, glistening as you weep." Dan said on a twitch stream that Witcher 3 is one of his favourite games and he has developed a strong personal connection to the lyrics along with a new personal meaning. That's probably why you felt they were detached from the rest. The original lyrics are about the stormy relationship between Geralt and Yennefer, the main character of the game and his main romantical interest.

[@CriticalReactions]

I would never have picked that up so thanks for the background info here! I only finally got around to playing The Witcher 1 last year and from what I know about 2 and 3 I'm gonna be increasingly disappointed but I'm still gonna give them a fair shake. 1 was just such a perfect experience for me.

[@loststatemusic]

​@@CriticalReactions The Witcher games only get better. Witcher 1 is clunky and rigid IMO and I think the story telling capabilities are severy limited by the poorly aged mechanics. Witcher 3 is like top 10 open-world RPGs ever. But if you somehow enjoyed Witcher 1 your brain might just work differently.

[@CriticalReactions]

@@loststatemusic I hate open world games so that is something that W3 has working against it. I also know that 2 and 3 removed the rhythm based combat of 1 that I thoroughly enjoyed. I was also a fan of restricting the story to just 1 town and making most of the narrative a detective thriller. It had some strong "noir meets fantasy" vibes that are so rare in fantasy storytelling and the dreary color palette paired with it nicely. I'm sure 2 and 3 will stand on their own but I think neither of them build on the aspects I adore the most of 1.

[@loststatemusic]

@@CriticalReactions How can you hate open world games😭😭? I can agree on the combat kinda slacking in 2 and 3 though.

[@CriticalReactions]

@@loststatemusic I could turn a critical eye towards, and ramble for hours about, the failings of the modern open world formula but to condense it down to bullet points it most comes down to cohesion and pacing. And most games fail both to implement the open world in way that makes sense for the game in a way that doesn't feel like filler say that can state "we have a 200 hour rpg" where you do that same 4 boring activities 500 times. With that said I do enjoy some open world title but they're not the typical format for the genre. Insomniac's recent Spider-Man titles are a good example of strong cohesion. The open world matches the kind of gameplay they were aiming for. It's difficult to make a player "feel like spider-man" without free web swing and random petty crime to stop -- that's who Spider-Man is (outside of his supervillain fights). (To note, Spider-Man games don't have to be open world to be good. Shattered Dimension is still my favorite SM game by a huge margin). Another form of strong cohesion comes up in procedural generation games like Minecraft. Open world games don't lend themselves well to linear stories since exploration of said worlds is a big component. And IMO exploration should be alien and risky. Opening a map and seeing 100+ icons to go to isn't exploring, it's following a road map (or more cynically going to set attraction points in a theme park). You already know what's there and what you'll be doing. That's the strength of open world games without markers -- actual exploration. It doesn't feel like someone went before me and discovered things first. New Vegas is a great example of a human made world that does this well but I'll add many walking simulators are excellent at this as well. I suppose I just value different aspects of videos games than most. I want an experience, not a checklist.

[@floridabelle]

👍🏻

[@ggluckmanful]

Music to read self-published fantasy novels by, who knew?

[@johnwomack6601]

Where's 1?

[@dek86s]

so did you listen more to this track? do you feel the same way? for me it get's better and better!! they released a new single the grey with a game based on the new album is in early acces

[@CriticalReactions]

I have an eye on the game and am thinking about streaming it on Twitch in VR if I get it. I also have another VR music experience that just released that I'd probably do as well (Lisle Engle Heavy Distance, if you're interested). I think I'm gonna avoid a re-listen as well as other singles until the album drops and see how it all works together as a whole work of art.

[@dek86s]

@@CriticalReactions fair enough!!

[@untetheredtruth]

I think this is one of the best djent songs ever written and I disagree with you that it's too much djent. The whole album will be much more palatable for you then this one and it is the best album I've ever heard. Most of the songs are not this heavy so I think you will be much more satisfied with the rest of the album.

[@Zundfolge]

I'll be honest, while their harsh vocals are better than average, one of the things that always set Tesseract apart in the past was the general lack of them. Kinda makes them sound just like every other djent/prog band to come out these days. I mean I'm still gonna get the album because they weren't too overdone (and I'm sure even with them the whole album will still be good), but I don't really see them as a welcome change.

[@artursantiagodeoliveiramen7682]

I don’t know, I still think they are very distinguished! I really enjoy their debut “One”, that has plenty lf harsh vocals. But to each their own! Their other albums are fantastic in my opinion too! 😀

[@yantz8281]

This song was so incredibly boring.

[@hocky-ham324-zg8zc]

🤣 not sure how you possibly think that but to each their own man