The Lament Configuration

December rightfully deserves to take the reins once held by technical metal visionaries such as Meshuggah and Dillenger Escape Plan, as their debut album proves they are the next breed of the mathcore metal the aforementioned groups champion as their own. The Lament Configuration is an album that will twist and turn your brain until it's in the shape of a pretzel, as these four men from Nevada know their metal and continuously flip the very definition of metal on its head. Mark Moots' vicious vocal maelstrom of sound has the ability to crack pavement with its intensity, and Jason Thomas' drumming defies description. Devin Townsend, best known for his work with the group Strapping Young Lad, produced The Lament Configuration, and he succeeds in bringing forth December's algebraic, technical wizardry. Unfortunately the production of this album is quite fuzzy, although that may be to the band's desire and it certainly does not detract from the metal heaviness presented. The metal genre continues to give birth to more and more of these technical bands as time goes by, yet December is undoubtedly the best of the new wave of this intense metal. ~ Jason D. Taylor, Rovi