Textures: Dualism – new album

Quite cleverly described as “an inventive sextet that expands (and somewhat humanizes) the oppressive progressive death metal style of MESHUGGAH” by Eduardo Rivadavia, AllMusic Guide, Holland's TEXTURES are about to release their new (and fourth) album entitled ‘Dualism’. Produced by guitarist Jochem Jacobs and recorded at Split Second Sound Studio in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the effort can be currently streamed in its (sweet) entirety right here – courtesy of Guitar World. The album's artwork was designed by former TEXTURES vocalist Eric Kalsbeek and bassist Remko Tielemans. ‘Dualism’ is set for September 23rd, 2011 release in Europe, South America and Asia, and for September 27th, 2011 release in North America. Get your copy here (Nuclear Blast Europe) or here (Nuclear Blast USA). View the music video for ‘Reaching Home’, the first single from ‘Dualism’, below; the video was shot on the island of Lanzarote (part of The Canary Islands) off the coast of Morocco and was directed by TEXTURES' bass player Remko Tielemans and Kunstoff Media:

Dualism – courtesy of TEXTURES

Formed in 2001 by guitarist Jochem Jacobs, guitarist Bart Hennenpof, drummer Stef Broks, bassist Dennis Aarts and keyboardist Richard Rietdijk, TEXTURES had spent two years perfecting their craft before releasing their self-produced/mixed/recorded/mastered debut album, ‘Polars’, with vocalist Pieter Verpaalen; issued (and later re-issued) by Listenable Records:

“TEXTURES' sonic concoctions run the gamut of musical (hard/soft) and emotional (brutal aggression/peaceful relaxation) possibilities. It’s quite an undertaking, to be sure, and leadoff single, ‘Ostensibly Impregnable’, offers as good an entry point as any to the strange world of TEXTURES. Lurching into action with a stuttering riff of almost HELMET-like minimalism, it soon adds surprisingly lush vocal harmonies to go with its perfectly MESHUGGAH-esque minor key break, and, finally, resolves in a pure death metal explosion,” [summed up the sonic arrangement E. Rivadavia]

Polars – courtesy of TEXTURES

Vocalist Pieter Verpaalen was replaced by Eric Kalsbeek for the group's second album, 2006's ‘Drawing Circles’, which sent TEXTURES off touring with the likes of GOJIRA, ARCH ENEMY, THE OCEAN and ALL THAT REMAINS, and gained them nominations for Holland's Live XS Awards:

“For just as was it was with their outstanding debut,” [continued to be impressed E. Rivadavia] “one could spend a lifetime dissecting every unexpected twist and turn coursing through the whole of album number two, yet barely remember when and where any given song began or ended. And why bother, when, the band's very name explicitly suggests the importance of textures, as heard in the ambient beauty of ‘Upwards’ the momentary, pure thrashing of ‘Stream Of Consciousness’, or the majestic advance of ‘Surreal State Of Enlightenment’ over anything so trifling as songs?”

Drawing Circles – courtesy of TEXTURES

The third offering, 2008's ‘Silhouettes’, the last album to feature vocalist Eric Kalsbeek and keyboardist Richard Rietdijk, and the one to introduce bassist Remko Tielemans, became TEXURES first charted album in their home country:

Silhouettes – courtesy of TEXTURES

Vocalist Daniël de Jongh and keyboardist Uri Dijk joined TEXTURES in 2010.