Willowtip continues to release the best randomness in the metal sphere with Alchestronomy, the fourth full-length from Pennsylvanian progressive metallers Parius. No, I'm not surprised at all that this theatrical release found refuge in Willowtip's caverns of curiosities, being a progressive metal/rock opera to the likes of Dream Theater—but way, way shorter. Parius's downright enjoyable dynamics warrant coverage from a proghead who hypersalivates at the sight of a proggy melodic death metal opera suite—and a properly-constructed suite, at that.
Alchestronomy spans thirty-six minutes and seven tracks, but the flow and pacing are sewn together so immaculately that the record is better off considered one long epic piece. Alchestronomy is lovably diverse, ranging from Dream Theater-esque solo trading in "Blind Eyed Starlight" to gritty, chug-forward attitudes in "Celestial Sea." In just over an hour and a half, Parius shoves 1970s keyboards, slow(er) ballad segments, and more into your ear canals without ever sounding unnecessarily busy. To highlight and shove aside certain songs, or "movements", as I'd like to call them, almost does the album a disservice.
Alchestronomy is also way heavier than I presumed. When I hear "rock opera," I think Jesus Christ Superstar. That's it. Maybe select Queen works, but my knowledge fades after Mr. Mercury. When the LP opened with "Alchemy," debuting the harsh vocals of Louis Thierry, which incorporate a healthy amount of melodic death metal into the album. He enunciates every single word to help the audience and at-home listeners understand the story, but his death metal growls reign supreme. Elsewhere, his tone feels weak for such a strong record. His clean vocals, however, only strengthen in the waning moments of the ending song, "Astronomy", whose audience erupts at the end, further establishing just how dramatic the album is.
The record's rather short length, however, raises the question of what it would be like if it were, say, an hour long. An extra-long runtime is most certainly a prog aspect, and it'd allow for more experimentation and variety. For hardcore, seasoned prog metallers, they'd find an expansive project like that to die for, but as a theater kid, I'd rather put on a spectacular short show than a ridiculously long one.