Dazed #16: "In Vaults" takes District 97 to the next level

District 97 have been a truly bright spot in the current prog scene from their debut on. Adventurous, fierce, high level musicians with a unique vision that takes certain cues from older masters but has flowered into something quite different.

That's why I got a bit alarmed when In Vaults began. The first track, Snow Country, sounded curiously careful and compromising - still does to me - but fear not: already the next track, Death By A Thousand Cuts, truly sets the scene and blasts the dust off the table with huge guitars and an intricate web of time signatures.

What follows may be the band's finest hour yet. I hear more nuances than before, I admire the way they have subtly expanded their musical palette while not giving up any of their high intensity bite, and Leslie Hunt has never been this good, bless her.

This is an album that may take a turn or two before you really get into it, but once you're in, it's useless trying to get out.

My rating: 4,5 / 5

In Vaults on Spotify