Vanderlust's 'The Human Farm' is a cosmic prog metal adventure that explores a fascinating concept: what if humans were harvested for their emotions by an alien race? The band's earnestness and skill are evident, but the execution leaves something to be desired.
The album's strength lies in its biggest moments, where Vanderlust's musical prowess shines. Ricca Morello's vocals, particularly in the power metal-inclined range, and Martina Barreca's death growls, add punch and emotion to the sound. The band's ability to create respite between narrative beats with moody clean guitars and skittering drums is commendable, as seen in tracks like 'The Turning Point' and 'Connection Failed'.
However, the album's pacing is inconsistent. The momentum from 'Golden Shackles' dissipates in the slow-burning 'The Turning Point', and the energy of 'Viral Escape' is deflated by the narrative interlude '...Find Them!'. This inconsistency is a result of Vanderlust's frequent dumbing down of musical ideas to allow narration more sonic space, which is further exacerbated by the uniformly bad acting performances across the album.
The storytelling itself is a mixed bag. While Vanderlust can do interesting things musically to tell their story, such as Barreca's clean singing in 'Reborn...Again' and the rework of the 'Humanity 2.0...' motif, the overall narrative detracts from the band's strength in thrashy prog-power anthems. The album's conceptual ambitions, while intriguing, ultimately hinder the overall listening experience.
In conclusion, 'The Human Farm' is a mixed bag. While it has fantastic songs and a compelling concept, the execution is inconsistent, and the storytelling detracts from the band's musical prowess. Fans of prog-power will find some things to like, but the album as a whole leaves something to be desired. Vanderlust is a band to keep an eye on, and I'm curious to see what their next album will bring.
