Y’know, I have this thing with music where I want to hear something fresh and adventurous. Not like the new Suicide Silence where they just aped another band’s sound and an aesthetic from twenty years ago, but where bands evolve their sound in a mindful and interesting way that abide by no rules but their own. Poland’s Disperse do exactly that and have only the boundaries they set themselves. With their third studio album, Foreword, Disperse are experiencing musical freedom to the fullest.

Gaining some fame with their previous album, as well as the video for “Message for Atlantis,” Disperse have been embraced by the djent community. While having more in common with, say, Chon than they do with Periphery or Meshuggah, Foreward leans more into the prog rock side of the spectrum with sprinklings of metal influences here and there. The one, more apparent influence made on the album is pop music, which comes courtesy of some effects and vocal melodies in the mix, which is apparent on “Tether.” You’ll know it when you hear it, to be honest, but is being influenced by pop such a bad thing when done right? Disperse know how to use their influence without removing their key stylings from the music.

You’ll never be in short supply of odd-meters riffs, either, on Foreward, with Disperse taking full advantage of creating catchy prog rock. There’s a deep and well-constructed amount of songwriting done here, as is apparent from the opening track “Stay.” Fans of Karnivool, Porcupine Tree, Chon, or modern prog efforts will generally feel at home here, with the common metalhead being able to decompress a bit while enjoying something mildly heavy and well-composed.

Foreword is available everywhere now. You can stream “Tether” below.