In their brief history so far, UK tech metallers No Consequence haven’t quite reached they heady heights of some of their djent peers. Despite some decent critical acclaim – especially for previous release IO (Basick) – they have been far from the top of the pile alongside the likes of TesseracT and Monuments; perhaps in part due to their lack of a genuinely formidable release that stands up to some of the genre’s greats. With their latest effort, Vimana (also Basick), it feels they are beginning to live up to their true potential.
Always managing to combine both the atmospheric, drifting sides and the sheer heaviness of the tech metal genre with great fluidity, Vimana is the realization of these two sides and the chemistry being honed. In fact, at their most visceral they are perhaps the most convincing and ferocious under the djent banner, bringing to mind the recent Murdock release when it comes to their dissident nature. Perhaps their more melodic moments are used more sparingly, and often as introductory passages; and as seductive as they prove it is a drawback that they aren’t explored further here. When they are married together more overtly, such as on the glorious “Disconnect” it really shows how they have evolved, with Kaan Tasan really showcasing his vocal talents in both arenas.
Whether or not this album will see No Consequence reach the equal footing with their peers remains to be seen, but for the first time they genuinely seem deserving to be put into that bracket. With a great reliance on their heavier side for the most part, it would be desirable to seem them explore further into their softer elements that have been done so sumptuously here. A career best for them so far and one that should bump up their profile, and it still feels that there is a whole lot more to come.
7.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL