Midwayer
Never Together
(Imminence Records)
While far from a sophomore slump, Never Together does pin Midwayer as stepping backward in progression. Though not too terribly more diverse instrumentally, Thresholds certainly stood higher in the vocal department with more range and personality. Here, the band feels a little simpler, less explosive. At times, they sound borderline flat. There are still moments of promise scattered throughout, but the outcome just doesn’t pay out high enough. More tracks like “Reverse Internment” would have done wonders for the album, but Midwayer did provide a nice bonus: a re-recording of “Thresholds” appears at the end of Never Together, and it’s with this track that one can compare the growth (or downgrade) between albums with ease. Maybe their next outing will prove more fruitful in levels and experimentation.
