When the news broke that vocalist Kelly Shaefer was launching a new band, there were certainly plenty of excited fans. The man is best known as the frontman of Atheist, one of the greatest progressive death metal bands of all time, and has also dipped his fingers in a number of musical pies throughout his career. Joined in Till The Dirt by Atheist bandmates Yoav Ruiz-Feingold and Jerry Witunsky, one could be forgiven for expecting more of the same, but instead, Till The Dirt is more reminiscent of Shaefer's old project Neurotica.

"Outside The Spiral" lives up to its name somewhat as there are so many influences and sounds throughout the record that it's very difficult to pin down. Of course, with a lineup featuring three members of Atheist, as well as their live drummer Dylan Marks, there is a very strong death metal presence, especially when it comes to the drums. Marks is arguably the star of the show here, continuously shining from "Starring Role" to "Watch You Grow Old," as well as the bonus track, "Bring On The Gods." Elsewhere, there are some really cool riffs and grooves courtesy of Witunsky and Ian Waye, which are particularly noteworthy on the standout song, "Forest Of Because."

As mentioned via the Neurotica link, there's a surprising amount of nu-metal influences on "Outside The Spiral," especially when it comes to "Invitation," which mixes the muddy, twisted bass of early Slipknot with the uncomfortable whispering vocal approach of Deftones' Chino Moreno. "Watch You Grow Old" and "Privilege" also feel like they would have fit well on a latter-day nu-metal record such as those made by Drowning Pool or Taproot. These nu-metal comparisons may sound a little off-putting, but they actually combine with the death metal to create a sound of its own, which is hard to do in this day and age.

While it's great that Till The Dirt has surprised listeners, it's not always for the best. There's plenty to enjoy on the album for sure, but in all honesty, there isn't much that is particularly memorable. There are also times when Shaefer seems to be a distraction, as he attempts so many different approaches when it comes to his vocals, but they do fall flat sometimes, such as the Oasis-like chorus of "As It Seems" or the clean hook of "Starring Role." Testing oneself artistically is always to be commended of course, especially when it comes to veterans, it just doesn't always pay off. Add to that the at times disjointed feel of the album, especially in the first half, and "Outside The Spiral" feels more like a curiosity than the start of something exciting.

Ultimately, Till The Dirt has done something every band wants to do and debuted with a new style, subverted expectations, and given fans and critics alike something to think about. It'll be interesting to see where the band goes from here, if they continue as they are or take what they've done back to Atheist. It's an oddity to be able to recommend an album to fans of both death and nu-metal if only to see what they think. Truth be told, it's a record that needs to be judged by the listener themselves, because it can't be generalised as being for fans of a specific band or genre. Check it out if you want something different to chew on.