Around the world, guitarists and instrumentalists alike have had an unshakeable feeling for quite some time now; the dawn of a new renaissance looms over us. This renaissance, however, is not akin to the earlier one and is dense with multi-layered harmonies, tones, and timbres of the rarest kind, and the warm rumble of its infectious grooves.

The earlier renaissance brought a plethora of art to the forefront of human awareness and had its horsemen that drove the majority of creative effort. The four horsemen of this renaissance, however, are Tim Henson and Scott LePage (guitars), Clay Gober (bass), and Clay Aeschliman (drums), who form the instrumental four-piece unit Polyphia.

Polyphia is no stranger to the world of progressive music and is now a kingpin in its turf. The band executes nothing short of incredibly detailed sonic masterpieces, with each subsequent release leaving its predecessor in the dust. Polyphia’s musical transformation through the years is in itself a testament to the progressive flavor that they deliver. It has come a long way since its early days of aggressive Bach covers (which proved that the late composer really just needed some gain and a drummer) and has embraced the elements of a variety of genres beyond the realm of distorted carnage. The result of this is a signature sound that is so unique, that a grin forces itself on your face, and a thought rips right through you – “yeah, that is definitely Polyphia.”

‘Remember That You Will Die’ is the band’s fourth studio album and is geared for release by the end of October. In an instant, there is a sense that the band did more groundwork than usual and went through a meditative introspection with a lot of stoic text. Clearly, track titles such as “Memento Mori”, “Ego Death”, or even the album name itself, are bound to put a smile on Marcus Aurelius’ face; and the tracks themselves do instill a sense of cosmic grounding.

The album has already gained traction thanks to the release of a few singles. The band began teasing the album with “Playing God” – featuring literally divine melodic passages on classical guitars, and an impeccably tight trap-styled rhythm, thanks to the drums and bass. Where the use of classical guitars made Playing God a unique performance, it is Sophia Black’s vocals (surprise!) in “ABC” that kept the hype going. This track flabbergasted the band’s fanbase, not only for the fact that it has vocals but also for the manner in which they were performed. Sophia, who is a trilingual singer-songwriter, has performed astonishingly clean and blitzing vocal lines that sit perfectly on top of Tim and Scott’s guitars. There are also entire sections where Sophia’s vocals have a percussive element to them and compliment Clay’s efforts, i.e., both the fine djentlemen on the drums and bass, respectively. To top it all off, the track also has a hook in Japanese, making ABC an exquisite concoction of eccentric, yet catchy.

However, it was only after the release of Ego Death, that the band’s fanbase (and the metal community at large) have perked their ears. The track features none other than Steve Vai towards the end of the track, seducing the listener with a criminally smooth guitar solo over a feisty Polyphia-styled rhythm. This, in a sense, is very symbolic; for the muses of one legendary and four contemporary virtuosos met at a crossroads and painted a variety of emotions across space and time. Evidently, the band’s decision to collaborate with the legendary guitarist has manifested a guitar epic that is bound to last for ages.

The featured artist lineup does not stop there. “The Audacity” features Anomalie, an outstanding jazz pianist and producer (as made evident from a live performance of his song Velours), who delivers multiple keyboard sections that fit exceptionally well with the track. “Bloodbath” takes a heavier turn (with the riffage) and features Chino Moreno (Deftones) on the vocals.

Polyphia also indulges in its Hip-Hop inclinations with tracks like Memento Mori (ft. Killstation), “F*ck Around and Find Out” (ft. $NOT), and “Chimera” (ft. Lil West). Just like ABC, these tracks feature vocals (which tilt towards the rapper’s end of the spectrum) and showcase the band’s expertise in experimenting and delivering a great result with their sound. But for the listeners who are overwhelmed by the number of things going down in the record, and still crave the sound that Polyphia so uniquely carved – “Neurotica” and “Reverie” squarely fit the bill.

Overall, “Remember That You Will Die” is a mark of the band’s commendable effort in putting together a record that absolutely slaps. Polyphia pushes its self-established boundaries with every record. There is no doubt that there was no hesitation to do the exact same thing all over again – just with a little bit more flair, unapologetic flamboyance, stoic-level cool-headedness, and sheer relentless skill. That sounds like business as usual for Polyphia, and it is not going to change anytime soon.

“Remember That You Will Die” is out via Rise Records on 28 October 2022.