The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues is an extended play by American progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me. It was released on April 12, 2011 and was the group's first release through Metal Blade Records[3] after leaving Victory Records in 2010. The entire EP was made available for streaming two weeks before its release on March 31, 2011.[4]

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
EP by
Between the Buried and Me
ReleasedApril 12, 2011 (2011-04-12)
RecordedDecember 13–23, 2010
StudioMetalworks Studios in Mississauga, Ontario and Rattlebox Studios in Toronto, Ontario
GenreProgressive metal,[1] technical death metal, avant-garde metal[2]
Length30:02
LabelMetal Blade
Producer
Between the Buried and Me chronology
Best Of
(2011)		 The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues
(2011)		 The Parallax II: Future Sequence
(2012)

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues is the first release in a two-part concept album suite. The second half, The Parallax II: Future Sequence is a full-length album that was released on October 9, 2012.[5] Between the Buried and Me made the conscious decision to precede a studio album with an extended play for several reasons, particularly to release a first album on Metal Blade fairly quickly.[6] In addition to being part of a concept album series, frontman Tommy Giles Rogers also listed wanting to keep the group's name "out there" and seeking new material to perform at concerts in an interview with MetalSucks.[7]

In support of the release, Between the Buried and Me toured North America with Job for a Cowboy, The Ocean and Cephalic Carnage during April through May 2011. During this tour, the group performed the entire EP, along with several tracks from previous albums, live at all concert dates.[8]

Concept and story line

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues is written from the perspective of the characters Prospect 1 and Prospect 2. Prospect 1 is a seemingly normal citizen, whereas Prospect 2 is a space pilot tasked with planting human souls on a new planet.

The first track, "Specular Reflection", opens with Prospect 1 after the events of "Swim to the Moon" (The Great Misdirect). Prospect 1 wakes up on an island after attempting suicide by drowning. While on the island, he begins having dreams about seeing someone that looks exactly like him. Meanwhile, Prospect 2 begins having dreams about being on an island while flying towards the new planet.

In the second track, "Augment of Rebirth", Prospect 2 begins to develop a god complex as he arrives at the new planet and fulfills his mission. At the same time, Prospect 1 signals a passing boat to take him back to civilization.

In the final track, "Lunar Wilderness", Prospect 1 returns home only to find his it has somehow vanished without a trace. Prospect 2 flies back to his home planet, discovering it has also disappeared.[9]

Reception

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[10]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[11]
Daily Dischord9/10[12]
Decibel7/10[13]
PopMatters6/10[14]
Revolver[15]
Rock Sound8/10[16]
Audiopinions10/10[17]

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues received generally favorable reviews. Jason Lymangrover of Allmusic praised David Bottrill's production stating that it "is perfectly suited, and only enhances the band's ever-intensifying talents," and that the EP itself is "a short one, but even with a 30-minute running time, the EP cobbles together enough intricate twists and turns that it feels massive, and each of the three songs is an epic journey in precision."[11] Adrien Begrand of PopMatters noted that, "there's nothing at all new [that Between the Buried and Me is] doing here, but what matters most is just how fresh they can make this new material sound, predictable as it all may feel."[14]

Jeff Treppel of Decibel said that the concept of the EP was difficult to follow, commenting that "if they want you to care about what's going on, they fail."[13]

Charts and sales

In its first week of release, The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues sold around 10,000 units and debuted on the US Billboard 200 chart at number 54.[18] On other Billboard charts, the album ranked at number 16 on Rock Albums, number 8 on Independent Albums, number 5 on Hard Rock Albums and number 13 on Tastemaker albums.[19]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tommy Rogers; all music is composed by Between the Buried and Me

No.TitleLength
1."Specular Reflection"11:21
2."Augment of Rebirth"10:19
3."Lunar Wilderness"8:22
Total length:30:02

Personnel

The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues as adapted from the CD liner notes.[20]

Between the Buried and Me

Production

  • David Bottrill – engineering, production
  • Mat Klucznyk – assistant engineer
  • Jamie King – mixing, mastering, additional production
  • Between the Buried and Me – production
  • Sons of Nero – artwork, layout

Charts
Chart (2011) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[21] 54
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[22] 8
US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[23] 5
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[24] 16
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard)[25] 13

References
  1. "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues – Between the Buried and Me". Allmusic.
  2. Matthew Cole (April 19, 2011). "Between the Buried and Me: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues | Music Review | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved March 24, 2014.
  3. Heisel, Scott (February 25, 2011). "Exclusive Stream: Between The Buried And Me's 'Specular Reflection'". Alternative Press. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  4. MetalSucks Staff (March 31, 2011). "Exclusive EP Stream: Between the Buried and Me's The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". MetalSucks. Retrieved March 31, 2011.
  5. Harris, Chris (February 23, 2011). "BTB&M Guitarist Explains New Album's Concept". Gun Shy Assassin. Archived from the original on March 1, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. "Between the Buried and Me Interview". Metalship. 2012-11-11. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  7. Neilstein, Vince (February 23, 2011). "Thomas Giles BTBAM's Tommy Rogers: The MetalSucks Interview". MetalSucks. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
  8. Rosenberg, Axl (April 12, 2011). "In Case You Somehow Weren't Already Excited for BTBAM's Upcoming Tour..." MetalSucks. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  9. Rogers, Thomas; Between the Buried and Me (2015). The Guide to The Parallax II: Future Sequence. p. 2.
  10. "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  11. Lymangrover, Jason (2011). "The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues – Overview". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on May 2, 2011. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  12. Spencer, Liam (April 18, 2011). "Album review: Between The Buried And Me - The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". Daily Dischord. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
  13. Treppel, Jeff (June 2011). "The Next Iron Chefs". Decibel. Philadelphia: Red Flag Media Inc. (80): 76. ISSN 1557-2137.
  14. Begrand, Adrien (April 21, 2011). "Review: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". PopMatters. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  15. McKenna, David (April 11, 2011). "Review: Review: Between the Buried and Me – The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". Revolver. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
  16. Withers, Pete (April 12, 2011). "Review: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". Rock Sound. Retrieved April 12, 2011.
  17. Williford, Ryan (April 24, 2011). "Review: Parallax Hypersleep Dialogues". Audiopinions. Retrieved April 25, 2011.
  18. "Between the Buried and Me: 'The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues' Cracks U.S. Top 60". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. April 22, 2011. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  19. "Charting History: The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues". Billboard. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
  20. The Parallax: Hypersleep Dialogues (digipack fold). Between the Buried and Me. Metal Blade Records. 2011. 3984-14999-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. "Between the Buried and Me Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  22. "Between the Buried and Me Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard.
  23. "Between the Buried and Me Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  24. "Between the Buried and Me Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard.
  25. "Between the Buried and Me Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard.
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