Between the Buried And Me – The Blue Nowhere

Metalcatto

I’m more excited than a monkey with a rifle! It’s Between The Buried And Me, the band that got me into Prog Death back when I didn’t even have my own computer. I’ve been a fan since Alaska and was blown away by the timeless 5/5 classic Colors. The band has been delivering amazing and consistently interesting music ever since. Weird and quirky for sure, but always risky. If The Blue Nowhere is anything like its previous works, surprises are the only guarantee. Enough build-up, time to shred our way out of existence!

My first moments with The Blue Nowhere were enigmatic. I wasn’t expecting the band to return to a more Coma Ecliptic vibe, with elaborate Prog Rock and even happy passages. At first, I was concerned, but those worries quickly vanished. The tropical-night atmosphere transforms into the hostile, intricate world BTBAM always drags us into. As playful as it may seem, it’s never boring. At this point, nobody sounds like BTBAM—well, maybe Dream Theater if it took the hardest drugs it could find backstage.

Adventurous is another way to describe The Blue Nowhere. It feels like the band is showing everything it’s capable of while simultaneously exploring themes of going nowhere—and I don’t mean that negatively. The album manages to sound “serious” in musical terms while still being comedic. Don’t worry, there are still brutal vocals, dry riffing, and blast beats loud enough to wake up grandma at the retirement home. Colors II was hard to surpass in terms of scale, so it makes sense the band decided to take a different path. That said, this record demands careful attention, and it’s worth warning you about some of the challenges it presents.

Saying a BTBAM album is long is like saying Tolstoy wrote a lot, but the structure here isn’t the most welcoming for newcomers. It’s a mammoth record with essentially a break in the middle. I also found myself missing some of the more hostile, flashy shredding sections that previous albums offered. But honestly, if you love Prog Death, this is still a five-course meal at a Michelin-star restaurant. Are you really going to complain and look like an uncultured swine? I didn’t think so.

The Blue Nowhere shows that even as veterans, BTBAM isn’t interested in getting comfortable or taking the easy way out. You can never be sure what the next track will throw at you, and in today’s numbing times, that level of unpredictability is an achievement in itself. Buy into the hype, because the most twisted soundtrack for an old circus is back. Now go listen to the band’s entire catalogue to prepare yourself properly!

Label: InsideOutMusic

Release date: 12 September, 2025

Website: https://www.facebook.com/BTBAMofficial/

Country: USA

Score: 4.2/5.0