TESSERACT
UNPROCESSED
O2 INSTITUTE, BIRMINGHAM
The UK’s progressive metal masters hypnotise the Midlands
James Monteith guides Tesseract to a new plane of reality
WITH NO FEWER than 21 strings between their three guitars, German prog-metallers UNPROCESSED deliver a masterful display of polyrhythmic riffs blended with metalcore choruses. There’s plenty of technical excellency on show, not least from guitarist and vocalist Manuel Gardner Fernandes, and the room isn’t so much allowing themselves to be lost in the moment as diving into it headfirst with reckless abandon. Tracks like Hell and Thrash are, as you might expect, packed with intricate guitar passages, but they also exude a bounce and tempo that allows for furious pitting –something the quartet are more than happy to encourage. The PA’s sound doesn’t always sway in their favour, but it doesn’t diminish what is otherwise a strong performance.