Review by Adam M on March 23, 2017.

Without Waves have a varied and interesting sound. They alternate between harsh and quieter tunes on this disc. The style is one of a kind and there is currently no album that sounds like Lunar on the market.

The heavy sections recall Meshuggah and the hardcore genre and are effective at conveying an aggressive tone. The softer sections recall progressive music at its most atmospheric and nicely complement the other tracks overall. It really is these quieter moments that make the disc as good as it is overall. See the mesmerizing Us Against for an example of a more subdued track that is very effective and sounds like A Perfect Circle. It occurs at the perfect point of the album where a change of pace would have been welcome. Overall, this band is impossible to predict and it makes them an interesting outfit. Musically, there are a variety of vocal styles to complement the louder and softer portions of the tracks. The guitars match the mood of the songs as do the drums. The overall mix of the songs varies depending on the tone the band is going for. The hardcore portions mirror djent bands, while the softer sections are more moody and emotional. The production job is solid and complements whichever direction the band wants to go in. The problem with this type of music is that it’s inconsistent and there are moments that are stronger than others present. The album feels like a collage at times rather than a cohesive whole.

This style is style very original and this aspect of the band is portrayed at the forefront. The really fresh and exciting style is one of a kind and breathes fresh air into the metal scene. Without Waves have crafted a solid and varied album with Lunar.

Overall: 7.7 out of 10

Review by Alex on July 18, 2019.

Bones, a band formed and based in the United States of America, carve deeper their signature within the cold surface of Chicago's death metal underbelly. With Diseased being the band's 3rd release, they strive to expand their influence and reach within the underground. Bones on Diseased play a blend of styles that to me, can either prove successful or hazardous to the final output, if not managed correctly. Thus, this glassy form of avant-garde death metal tries to push the bar and boundaries of the genre, which is fine; however, doing such often comes with consequences. The music here is being morphed with different genres in a conspicuous fashion; I say that because the obvious inclusions are presented obtrusively. There’s black metal, sludge metal, death/doom, thrash, crust punk and hardcore. In opposition to hinting, Bones delivers a bare-faced thrust-to-the-gut approach by giving the respected genres abundant spotlight. The risk here is the music can easily divert from pleasure to displeasure, due to so many styles being meshed without warning. On Diseased it’s a bit of both; mixing the genres proved to be enjoyable, but only for so long, as the formula to Bones’ chasm of uncertainty left the death metal aspect a bit underwhelming. The record still stands as a decent unconventional take on the genre but loses adhesion towards the end. 

The first indication Diseased was going to be a worthwhile record, occurred on the opening track, 'Blood, Diarrhea and Tears'. Easily the best entry on the record due to its high efficacy of combining black metal with death metal and crust; and with the aid of some melody, the song showed a fluency in transitions. I was bidding Diseased would be offering more of that, and it did with ‘Mass Graves’ through ‘Stench of the Deceased’ that answered the request with considerably more confidence. However, the strong foundation built by the aforementioned began to erode rapidly, as the composition structures and components used in the development of the material on Diseased crumbled. Like a ball of sand being folded in the palm of a hand, at first, seemingly firm, but begins to gradually lose texture and eventually decompose as the primary components are compromised by natural atmospheric forces and pressure of the squeeze.  

This crumble began with ‘No One Matters’ that tried to move too quickly in fitting multiple styles into a track that was barely over 2 minutes. By doing this, it appeared irredeemably messy; not only ruining the actual death/crust metal, but the other elements forced into the mix. ‘Down’ would try to resuscitate the weakening body of Diseased to which it did do to an extent but would suffer from problems of its own towards the closing moments through a minute of seemingly disorientated filler. ‘Boozer’ appeared to be a blur of random noises which also plagued ‘Crucifer’ despite its commendable hint at early Celtic Frost. 

'The Future is Now' would try to reclaim some of that glory presented on the 1st half of Diseased by revisiting and successfully implementing the more favorable qualities of that period. But again, it would leave an impression of hastiness on the listener, as though scurrying to cover blemishes while putting the finishing touches on an item. Despite being a good record, Diseased produced a sonic friction which resulted from destructive and convalescent forces pushing against each other and would eventually go on to define the album in its final state. I enjoyed the record but wished there had been better music to sustain the momentum built. Diseased will still be a great album to many; I may partially agree; however, the flaws are too noticeable to be ignored. Flawed, but still a good record. 

Rating: 7 out of 10