OBJET ~ THE SPACE THAT BINDS US .... review.

Portland, (Maine) does not quite have the musical kudos of it's doom and stoner drenched North Western cousin of the same name but there is however a good, if smaller, stoner, doom and psych scene going on there with a number of good bands doing their best to get their grooves out there and noticed.
One of those bands Objet, Dan Paulsen (drums),  Joshua MacVane (bass),  Andy Beavis (guitar), Keith Hebert (guitar) and Kris Milo (vocals) have recently stepped out of the shadows of  obscurity to throw their hat into the ring with the release of their three song debut EP " The Space That Binds Us".

First track " Bulletproof Renegade" starts life on a deep booming bass line underscored by intricate and understated drum patterns before being joined by the guitars, shards of chordal colouring filling every space. Over this slightly psychedelic, slightly prog-ish groove lyrics, telling of anger and regret, are delivered in huge clean, slightly gritted vocal tones that possess a classic rock/metal vibe perfectly suited to their surrounding  heavy psych/prog grooves , Suddenly the chorus kicks in and the  mood changes both vocally and musically, the guitars shifting into riff mode laying down a thick heavy stoner metal refrain while the vocals take on a gruffer, grittier and heavier delivery, Driven by pounding percussion and grizzly distorted bass and enhanced by short bursts of  scorching solo guitar the song then falls back into line again for the next verse, the song toing and froing between these two dynamics until reaching a deliciously noisy metallic conclusion.
"Prophet of Nowhere" bursts from the traps on one of those stuttering heavy metal riffs we have all heard before but can't help loving to death, the songs slightly NWOBHM feel mixed with elements of prog-metal complexity although slightly generic in places is nevertheless highly enjoyable.
"The Space That Binds Us" sees Objet upping their game with a song that walks a line between subtle shades of progressive metal and its heavier stoner equivalent without committing to either, finding a balance between the two that sits nicely on the ears. The song shifts through differing tempos and time signatures without feeling forced or clichéd, moving between complex passages of dark prog texturing and heavy metallic bluster with unerring ease buoyed by a delicious ear-catching vocal melody.
Although not quite the finished article yet Objet are a band who with the right breaks and a willingness to work hard could have a bright future.
Check 'em out ...