Caspian - Tertia
Record Label: The Mylene Sheath
Release Date: September 15, 2009
For centuries, instrumental music has been regarded as more of an intellectual's game. Whether it was the swirling orchestral performances by Bach and Beethoven in the 1700's, or the recent offerings from wonders such as Explosions in the Sky and This Will Destroy You, it was a smaller subset of listeners who can truly appreciate the music. Listening through any instrumental album, you know there is no track that will top the charts, but to those who know about it and to those who can appreciate it, they wouldn't have it any other way.
Caspian is no newcomer to the field. Forming in 2003, Tertia is their third work (an album and an EP are behind them), and it is easily shown in their cohesiveness. While other instrumental bands sound off-beat (Pelican, possibly?), this album and band flows together as one. They paint a picture, one that isn't shown on the rusty metal cover, or on the storm-approaching inside flap. They are distinct from other instrumentals in the same way This Will Destroy You is: they have an on-hand synth/keyboardist who can really take a stage. Although they share many similarities to This Will Destroy You, they are different, and they are here to prove it.
The opening track "Mie" begins the album with a slow build. A section of spacy ethereal piano keys pressed and a crescendo, and the album kicks in. "La Cerva" begins with a grunge-type feel that lasts throughout the whole song. It's one of the heavier tracks on the album, and shows off the instrumentation right in the beginning.
Guitar distortion (and possibly a radio broadcast in the background?) lead right into the third track on the album, "Ghosts of the Garden City". My favorite track on the album, it spans over seven-and-a-half minutes, painting a picture of beauty and majesty. Swirling guitars make up much of the song, forming melodies out of simple chord progressions, and forming epic crescendos of pounding drums and twisting melody. Leading into the fourth song "Malacoda" is the twinkling of what sounds like a music box. "Malacoda" showcases Caspian's perfected method of clashing heavy and light, of putting a solid drum beat on the backdrop of orchestral power, the keyboards and guitars twirling in and out of each other like smoke trails in the sky.
"Epochs in Dmaj" is more of an introduction to "Of Foam and Wave" than anything else. It's soft, it's light, and it fills your ears with repetitive twinkling and leads majestically into "Of Foam and Wave." This sixth track longs to be replayed, longs to be listened to while looking into the sky at night, pondering the deepest questions. Acoustic guitars fill in the middle, between two distorted guitar-laced melodic ends. The piano ending at the end of this song is nothing short of beautiful; it personifies awe-inspiring power in the short time the piano keys are played.
The seventh track "Concrescence" follows, with acoustic guitars and a slow-paced drum beat to accompany. "The Raven" begins with soft guitar plucking, before erupting into the same distorted synthesized guitar mix as heard before. The good thing is, it changes into a heavier guitar-based section that does more than calm you down; it wakes you up. A heavy guitar ending drastically contrasts the barely audible six-minute "Vienna," a soft bridge between songs. Sadly, it doesn't seem to do much other than fill up space, much as the opening track does-- it just prepares you for the coming assault.
The final track "Sycamore" finishes the album off brilliantly. Continuing the soft "Vienna" for a few minutes, the instruments start to come in one by one. Plucking guitars make their way, then a slow steady drum beat decides to play. By the time the four-minute mark hits, the heavy guitars are no surprise. The surprise comes when they turn this heaviness into gold; melody flows out of heavy and the drummer kicks it up. The drummer finishes the album with a steady, impressive rhythm, that leaves the listener feeling hopeful, thoughtful, and fulfilled.
Although Caspian doesn't do anything original or different than other instrumental bands, they have a certain poise and grace in their music. A certain dignity and feel that one can't quite figure out, but is definitely glad to be a part of. The ethereal bridges before and between songs can be repetitive and lengthy, but they make it up when the song finally hits. A solid record, a thoughtful masterpiece.
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