..ONLINE PRESS
Outlet: The PRP
Rating: 4/5
Quote: The palatable desperation
and searing heaviness this band are able to convey is almost empowering,
especially when malice-filled choruses like "the scene is dead
and so are you" practically spit venom in the listeners faces.
It is the band's foresight and ability to transcend the defined boundaries
that puts them a cut above. "Subverter" may just be one side
of the shape of things to come.
URL: http://www.theprp.com/reviews/theesoteric1.shtml
Outlet: Maelstrom Magazine
Rating: 10/10
Quote: Subverter is a
work full of boundary-crossing music that breaks up the notion of stale
hardcore. Easily one of the must-haves of the year, and comes with the
highest recommendation. Make this your band.
URL: http://www.maelstrom.nu/ezine/review_iss50_3673.php?sid=717c33c9ec928da59fb41ef29ca9f939&osCsid=717c33c9ec928da59fb41ef29ca9f939
Outlet: Stylus Magazine
Rating: B+
Quote: The Esoteric has built
one of heavy music's most sophisticated balancing acts, achieving a
nuanced sound that transcends their varied backgrounds. The band is
truly unclassifiable, drawing from metal, hardcore, prog, and shoegazer
rock to form a passionate, uplifting hybrid.
URL: http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-esoteric/subverter.htm
Outlet: Unbound Zine
Rating: 4/5
Quote: This is where metalcore
should have gone. [Subverter] is an album that seems like it is going
to be a sleeper hit. It has all of the elements that make a great album.
URL: http://www.unboundzine.com/nr113.html
Outlet: Domain Cleveland
Rating: N/A
Quote: Implementing sonic rhythms
with guitars and bass discerns [THE ESOTERIC] from their contemporaries
and predecessors making them stand out from the crowd. Subverter should
help The Esoteric rise out from the underground and toward some mainstream
credibility.
URL: http://www.domaincleveland.com/index.php?pid=reviews&aid=486
Outlet: Blabbermouth
Rating: 7/10
Quote: The band seem poised
to ultimately rise above the glut of current metal that could potentially
bury this record in indifference. Here's hoping they get the chance
to continue evolving, because "Subverter" is a great starting
point. A solid 7, with moments of heady 9-like brilliance.
URL: http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=929
Outlet: Crave Magazine
Rating: N/A
Quote: I haven't heard a CD
of balls-out boundary-pushing melodic punk this exciting since The Refused
put out The Shape of Punk to Come and broke up.
URL: http://www.cravemagazine.com/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=602
Outlet: Rise And Revolt
Rating: 95/100
Quote: Subverter is The
Esoteric's crown jewel up to this point in their career, it's experimental,
it's heavy, it's spacey, it's everything you could ever ask for
it to be. Everyone should find something to enjoy about this album.
It's all about one thing, the love of the music.
URL: http://www.riseandrevolt.com/site/review.php?rid=63
Outlet: Corazine
Rating: N/A
Quote: The Esoteric have blasted
out an interesting record here. A mingling of stoner/doom, hardcore,
thrash and just flat-out metal, "Subverter" is an album of
distinct personality, energy, dark melody and aggression that obliquely
calls to mind Mastodon but entirely with a personality of its own.
URL: http://www.corazine.com/reviews/the-esoteric-subverter
Outlet: Hardcore Sounds
Rating: 4.5/5
Quote: This album is definitely
one of the finest hardcore albums coming in 2006. I warmly recommend
the album for everyone who is into modern hardcore rock with metallic
influences.
URL: http://www.hardcoresounds.net/modules.php?name=Band_List&file=cdviewer&func=3311
Outlet: Subba-Cultcha (1st
Review)
Rating: N/A
Quote: It's like the unholy
car crash of Dillinger Escape Plan, Fantomas, Slayer and Torture Garden
where everyone's heads got sewn back onto the wrong bodies and they
were pushed into the rehearsal studio and told to get on with it. It
truly is that, ahem, "bad assed".
URL: http://www.subba-cultcha.com/article.php?id=124
Outlet: Metal Jazz
Rating: N/A
Quote: Like you, Kansas' the
Esoteric have suffered listening to albums that're unremittingly extreme.
So they pick a tougher path -- heavy shit boosted by sky-climbing guitars
and switchback rhythms. And their latest disc, Subverter, shows they've
got the legs for it. The guitars layer and spar through a full
spectrum of attack strategies: balladic melodies, tidal Isis immersion,
proggy cartography, heavy riffsmanship and dissonant stabs. Throughout,
the Esoteric strike an unlikely balance of murk and clarity, disruption
and coherence.
URL: http://www.metaljazz.com/2007/01/review_the_esoteric_subverter.php
Outlet: Planet Loud
Rating: 7/10
Quote: The band simply ooze
emotion, passion, and wholeheartedness, and pair this with a collection
of tracks that are created to dig under your skin and force you to react.
What also strikes you about The Esoteric is how much they sound like
their own band, with a real DIY ethos running throughout the album –
although their punk influences and metal influences are communicated,
they do not dominate. This is their own sound.
URL: http://www.planet-loud.com/v6/recordreview.php?album_id=802
Outlet: About.com
Rating: 3/5
Quote: The band has a really
diverse sound, bringing elements of everything from metal to hardcore
to punk to alt rock. Subverter is a heavy album with powerful
guitars and breakdowns, but is also very melodic and modern sounding.
I suppose The Esoteric would be labeled as a metalcore band because
of the breakdowns and vocal style, but they do have a broader approach
and more varied influences than most bands in that genre.
URL: http://heavymetal.about.com/od/cdreviews/fr/theesoteric.htm
Outlet: Heavy Frequency
Rating: 4.5/5
Quote: The Esoteric's latest
album, Subverter, is razor sharp and filled with a wide-open, eclectic
sonicscape that swims through genres. They have captured chaos in a
box, and have presented it in a 10-song definition of the word "Subverter."
From the opening riffs of the song "Destroy, She Said," to Cruz's
last breath screaming, "Wake up!" on "Clone Culture and The Cut-Up
Method," the album delivers aggression, passion, pride, and depth.
Subverter is an evolution towards the future of sound.
URL: http://www.heavyfrequency.com/archives/reviews/cdreviews.php?id=202
Outlet: All Music Guide
Rating: N/A
Quote: Underneath Cruz's impassioned
singing, the band explores a wider variety of sonic approaches than
its previous album, With the Sureness of Sleepwalking, adding more keyboards,
flirtations with almost dancey rhythms, and a more varied use of effects
and heavily processed guitar sounds.
URL: http://www.allmusicguide.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:rxd9kextgq7x
Outlet: Tangible Sounds Magazine
Rating: 4/5
Quote: The Esoteric's performance
on this album shows a group of talented musicians who have clearly thought
out the writing process and ended up with a solid finishing product.
URL: http://www.tangiblesounds.com/cdnov0106.cfm
Outlet: Evil Needles
Rating:
Quote: Subverter feels like
an inspiring album. There's no filler, each song has its own personality.
I've always seen this band's potential for greatness and now I get to
tell everyone, "ha! I told you so!!" Subverter is The Esoteric's
royal flush.
URL: http://www.evilneedles.com/main/newmusic10.html
Outlet: Pyro Music
Rating: 7.5/10
Quote: This is diverse, genuine
heavy music that flirts with all kinds of genres.
URL: http://www.pyromusic.net/index.php?p=reviews_review&id=1002
Outlet: The Metal Forge
Rating: 4/5
Quote: The metalcore-isms are
toned down and make way for post-hardcore flavours that provide the
backbone for some truly amazing passages and atmospherics throughout
the entire album. There's still an urgency of speed along the way
at times and Cruz's vocals deliver the perfect balance between attack
and restraint, matched equally by the music that underlies them. Subverter
is the start of something very special.
URL: http://www.themetalforge.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&rop=showcontent&id=1080
Outlet: Foundry Music (Opie
And Anthony)
Rating: N/A
Quote: The hardcore music on
this album is money, and should make the band a major name in hardcore
music. The breakdown alone in "Don't Waste Guts" could score the
band some MTV airplay. These things mixed together could make The Esoteric
a breakout sensation in '07.
URL: http://www.foundrymusic.com/shop/displayreview.cfm/id/1818/page/show_video_number_1818.html
Outlet: Sea of Tranquility Magazine
Rating: 3/5
Quote: Filled with textured
yet pummeling tracks, Subverter will easily appeal to those who like
their music heavy, but with plenty of indie rock eclecticism and experimentation.
While some classify the band as metalcore, there's really more to their
sound than that, as they throw in bits of stoner, avant-garde, psychedelic,
and prog into their sound, putting them more in line with bands like
The Dillinger Escape Plan and Isis.
URL: http://www.seaoftranquility.org/reviews.php?op=showcontent&id=4384
Outlet: Exclaim!
Rating: N/A
Quote: Subverter allows their
more abrasive influences room to breathe, regularly injecting effective
bursts of melodious rock'n'roll, traditional d-beat and even brief
electronic nuances.
URL: http://www.exclaim.ca/index.asp?layid=23&csid1=16360
Outlet: Pop Matters
Rating: 7
Quote: Inspired by the text/audio
cut-up experimentation of William S. Burroughs and the traditional literary
game "exquisite corpse", the Kansas quintet tries to bring a little
originality to hardcore, and is largely successful, offsetting muscular
Neurosis passages with touches of gentler melodicism. The arrangements
are a bit more linear than the guys claim, but they still do Uncle Bill
proud.
URL: http://www.popmatters.com/pm/columns/article/7069/open-wide-the-gates-of-hell/
Outlet: Underground Review
Rating: 9/10
Quote: Only a handful of bands
in a flooded genre dare to experiment and progress the genre as it is,
but even then only a small amount of those succeed at their goals and
found themselves at the front of the pack with sounds they could call
their own. The Esoteric is, and always has been, one of those bands.</p>
URL: http://s9.invisionfree.com/undergroundreview/ar/t928.htm
Outlet: Concrete Web
Rating: 97/100
Quote: Subverter is a challenging
record that's like a one-night stand: Some of it turns you on, some
of it freaks you out and when you finally take a second to look around,
you have no idea how you got there. Personally, I believe it's one
of this year's greatest. Fucking brilliant record, which I just
want to hold unto and kiss all day!
URL: http://www.concreteweb.be/reviews/reviews_2006/reviews_06_12_2006/CD/esoteric/cdesoteric.htm
Outlet: Digital Metal
Rating: N/A
Quote: Though still angular
in their off-kilter, hardcore/math metal tones, The Esoteric now deliver
their crunchy extroverted riffage by way of less feral expulsions and
more progressive hues that warrant radio play...bold, and at times,
brilliant.
URL: http://www.digitalmetal.com/reviews.asp?cid=7875
Outlet: Lambgoat
Rating: 7/10
Quote: The Esoteric are a phoenix
in the literal and figurative sense; they've been down and out many
times and continue to rise.
URL: http://www.lambgoat.com/albums/view.aspx?id=2274
Outlet: Transcending The Mundane
Magazine
Rating: 8/10
Quote: The Esoteric have always
benefited from relentless touring and self-promotion, now they have
the product to back it up. Subverter is an excellent album that defies
categorization.
URL: http://www.tmetal.com/DefaultN1.asp?GoTo=CurrSelN1.asp?ID=3306&Page=
Outlet: Cosmos Gaming
Rating: N/A
Quote: Subverter shows The Esoteric
expanding their sound and taking on new musical challenges, and it definitely
works. Listeners sick of traditional hardcore will want to check this
one out.
URL: http://www.cosmosgaming.com/articles.php?id=507&articletype=review
Outlet: The Fordham University
Ram
Rating: N/A
Quote: Finally, a rock band
that can't fit into a subgenre. In a scene where most of the bands are
beginning to sound alike, The Esoteric are breaking out of the mold...one
of the most pleasantly surprising albums of the year.
URL: http://media.www.theramonline.com/media/storage/paper1075/news/2006/11/16/ArtsEntertainment/Cd.Review-2462483.shtml
Outlet: Punk Rock Theory
Rating: 8/10
Quote: Technical, heavy and
incredibly interesting because of some simple rock-elements they included,
instead of just plain a-rhythmic, polyrhythm, difficult and inaccessible
note-picking. This five-piece put everything in the right places at
the right time to make one of the better hardcore/post-hardcore records
of 2006.
URL: http://www.munchkinmusic.be/IE_5_0/Reviews.php?toDo=showAlphabet&pageNumber=7&pageLetter=E
Outlet: Decoy Music
Rating: 3.5/5
Quote: The Esoteric has always
been cleverly melodic, they are just fleshing out that sound more fully
now. These guys are easily one of the hardest working bands on the scene
right now playing between 250 and 300 shows every year, bringing their
sound to the kids. They've laughed in the face of terrible adversity
and came out on top -- something anyone has to respect.
URL: http://www.decoymusic.com/index.php?content=reviews&reviewid=18354&oldreview=0
Outlet: Aural Innovations
Rating: N/A
Quote:
URL: http://www.aural-innovations.com/issues/issue35/esoteric1.html
Outlet: Rock Is Life
Rating: 2/5
Quote: [The Esoteric] brings
forth some grand drum movement that I find appealing and the melodic
guitar blends well to make for a great listen.
URL: http://rockislife.net/2007reviews/subverter.htm
Outlet: Live 4 Metal
Rating: N/A
Quote: [Subverter] stands
on its own merit, it's own technical ability and its decision to sample
a little of everything.
URL: http://www.live4metal.com/reviews-472.htm
Outlet: Thrash Pit
Rating: 7.1
Quote: The Esoteric delivers
a catchy and heavy album and is able to capture a mix of sounds leaving
listeners headbanging and/or hardcore dancing.
URL: http://www.rocknworld.com/thrashpit/reviews/06/TheEsotericSubverter.shtml
Outlet: Paper Thin Walls
Rating: 4.0
Quote:
URL: http://www.paperthinwalls.com/singlefile/item?id=312
Outlet: Decibel Magazine
Rating: N/A
Quote:
URL: http://www.decibelmagazine.com/reviews/dec2006/theesoteric.aspx
Outlet: Low Cut Zine
Rating: 3/5
Quote:
URL: http://www.lowcut.dk/040_lc/reviews/index.asp
Outlet: Subba-Cultcha (2nd
Review)
Rating: N/A
Quote:
URL: http://www.subba-cultcha.com/article.php?id=3388
Outlet: As Ice Zine
Rating: 3/5
Quote: The mixture of heavy
post-hardcore, stoner rock and metalcore is played well and the five
guys have spawn a lot of cool ideas...a lot is happening on this record.
URL: http://www.asice.net/reviews/2209/?PHPSESSID=751d308c3b577953a17f23ca86ea2253
Outlet: Metal Reviews
Rating: 60/100
Quote: [The Esoteric] have the
ability to lead metalcore in a more audibly pleasing direction.
URL: http://www.metalreviews.com/reviews/detail.php3?id=3534
Outlet: Scene Point Blank
Rating: 5.5/10
Quote: [Subverter] is rather
effective at drawing the listener in or forcing the listener to take
notice.
URL: http://www.scenepointblank.com/reviews/1138
Outlet: Rock Freaks
Rating: 5/10
Quote:
URL: http://www.rockfreaks.net/?page=albumreviews&id=478
Outlet: OX Fanzine (Germany)
Rating: 8/10
Quote: German
URL: http://www.ox-fanzine.de/reviews/rid/54624/esoteric-subverter_cd.23.html
Outlet: Event Horizon (Portugal)
Rating: 6/10
Quote: Portuguese
URL: http://www.eventhorizon-space.blogspot.com/
Outlet: Lords of Metal (Germany)
Rating: 85/100
Quote:
URL: http://www.lordsofmetal.nl/showreview.php?id=8491
Outlet: Rock Hard (Germany)
Rating: N/A
Quote: German
URL: http://www.rockhard.de/index.php?smod=p209Wz1iMUIfo2qAo2D9pz9wn2uupzDhpzI2nJI3pl5xMKEunJkJnJI3Wzqlo3IjFHD9pzuspzI2nJI3WzAioaEyoaEWEQ00AGtmAlMmqJAbp3ElnJ5aCKEbMFOyp290MKWcLlL%3D
Outlet: Amplificasom (Portugal)
Rating: N/A
Quote: Portuguese
URL: http://amplificasom.blogspot.com/2006_10_01_archive.html
Outlet: Chambers Magazine (Sweden)
Rating:
Quote: [Swedish]
URL: http://www.chambersmagazine.com/arviot.php?review=1606