LONG DISTANCE CALLING - Boundless

Certainly one of the most surprising (and awesome) bands from the planet Earth is Long Distance Calling. Let's see why. The first three albums went almost on the same way: all the songs are instrumental, except one - featuring a guest vocalist (Peter Dolving - ex The Haunted, Jonas Renkse - Katatonia, and John Bush - Armored Saint, ex Anthrax, who makes a great sensation on Middleville). Then with The Flood Inside (2013) they changed the direction a little bit, where Martin Fisher (from Pidgeon Toe) was the singer on three tracks, and another one were Petter Carlsen does a duet with Vincent Cavanagh (Anathema) as guests. On Trips (2016) the same Petter Carlsen did the vocal parts for as much as five tracks. Of course, this wasn't an impediment in their way of musical development at all, because due to Trips Long Distance Calling had won a well deserved top place on the waiting list at the mainstream entrance, being a great album, with an impeccable production. And, if after a such an album you don't manage to sign with one of the most important music labels (which they could gave a huge blow on the metal market) then I think that any comment is in vain.

After this mysterious adventure, the question which I'd ask myself before listening to Boundless was: will it have vocals, or will be an instrumental album like in the old times? Personally, I would have expected that in their endeavour to obtain a bigger commercial success to continue the Trips line. Well, the product we are talking about today it's 100% instrumental, without any trace of vocals. That's why we can say that Long Distance Calling has stepped down again where they belong - into the underground (not that they ever came out of there, but by point of view of attitude Trips exceed this term). Although I like so much both Long Distance Calling versions, I prefer the instrumental one more, because this is how I've discovered their music, and also I've made my musical tastes with it, which still hovers around the same core. 

Although their stamp would be a post rock one, I've personally consider that things are totally different. Only about Satellite Bay (2007) we can say that it would be an album more approached of what the post rock propose us, but from Avoid the Light (2009) till now Long Distance Calling has experimented very much, managed to find out a perfect equilibrium between catchy ideas and fancy ideas. For example, because we are already talking about the experiment, on this last album we can find things reminiscent of western movies soundtracks (Like A River), black metal (Skydivers), stoner (Weightless), heavy-thrash (Ascending), or atmospheric-electro-synth parts, too, all having progressive metal as common point. What I really want to point out, especially for the ones who didn't listen this band until today, is the fact that Long Distance Calling NEVER used djent elements in their music. Coming back, the strong point of this album (and of the band, in general) are, undoubtedly, the guitar solos... uplifting!

This band is one which I love it enormously for all what it do in the studio (because I never saw them on stage... so far), especially for thier courage to put on their records every idea that passed through their mind. Of course if we are starting to search for influences from other bands, certainly we will find lots, but nevertheless Long Distance Calling has an unique timbre, a special feelling, a specific sound: since from the firsts musical accords you will realize whom you are dealing with. In this world there are few bands which can be proud of six very good studio albums, as Long Distance Calling is one, including here the legendary bands, too. That this band it's not legendary, that is another story. Even so, let's thave this discussion again in 10-15 years, when the universe will be looking for the new old heroes (because from the old old heroes will remain the holograms only).

Fantotzii Nota: 9.5