Review by Adam M on February 11, 2020.

Thematic perform a very interesting take on progressive metal with their newest release Skyrunner. The music here is endlessly creative with numerous twists and turns to be found. There is the use of other instrumentation like horns to add variety. The sound can be likened to other band like Fair to Midland, though this music is more metallic than said band.

Instead we have a complex album that has plenty of melodic moments strewn in to make things more accessible. The beauty of this album is in its unpredictability and it is very different than a lot of progressive metal out there. It has mostly clean singing which helps brings forth the more accessible portions of the album quite well. Fear not, this album is able to bring progressive bliss with a number of time changes and interesting instrumental sections added for good measure. Is there a flaw to be found here? Well, the music is a little too sweet sounding and could be a bit harsher at times. Still, the tunes are very ethereal sounding and can be compared to the likes of Caligula's Horse as well. There is simply so much interesting music on display that it may be difficult to interpret well on one listen. Instead, multiple listens are needed to absorb everything and eventually lead to a very interesting release. This is an early forerunner for one of the best albums of 2020 and highly recommended to progressive metal fans everywhere.

Songs like the title track are simply magical and draw you into their cloudy atmosphere quite well. The overall vibe of the album is one that is complex, yet accessible enough to digest with a number of listens. This is a wonderful album that could have been made even more compelling with more power put forth. Still, a strong recommendation comes with Skyrunner for sure.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10