''Node'' is the third studio album by Australian heavy metal band

Northlane Northlane are an Australian Heavy metal music, heavy metal band from Sydney, formed in 2009. The band comprises guitarists Jon Deiley and Josh Smith, drummer Nic Pettersen and vocalist Marcus Bridge. Northlane have released six studio albums: ...

. It was released on 24 July 2015 through

UNFD UNFD (pronounced as an initialism ˈjuːˈenˈefˈdiː/ is an independent record label based in Melbourne, Australia. The label is home to a number of Australian artists including Thornhill, Ocean Grove, Hellions and In Hearts Wake, and int ...

and

Rise Rise or RISE may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * '' Rise: The Vieneo Province'', an internet-based virtual world * Rise FM, a fictional radio station in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto 3'' * Rise Kujikawa, a vide ...

. It was produced by Will Putney and recorded at Graphic Nature Audio in

Belleville, New Jersey Belleville (French: "Belle ville" meaning "Beautiful city / town") is a township in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States Census, the township's population was 38,222, reflecting an increase of 6.4% from th ...

. This is the first album to feature vocalist Marcus Bridge after the departure of Adrian Fitipaldes in 2014. It also marks the group's first slight departure from their heavier

metalcore Metalcore (also known as metallic hardcore) is a fusion music genre that combines elements of extreme metal and hardcore punk. As with other styles blending metal and hardcore, such as crust punk and grindcore, metalcore is noted for its use of ...

roots and towards a more

alternative Alternative or alternate may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Alternative (''Kamen Rider''), a character in the Japanese TV series ''Kamen Rider Ryuki'' * ''The Alternative'' (film), a 1978 Australian television film * ''The Alternative ...

and

experimental An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs when ...

sound. In 2016, a deluxe edition of ''Node'' was released, which contains instrumental versions of all songs, two new songs, a version of the song "Aspire" featuring Marcus' vocals, and the single version of the song "Rot".

Release and promotion

The band released two promotional singles, "Ra" and "Leech" respectively. "Ra" was handed out to fans as a free-download gift for supporting the band. "Leech" was released as a promotional single after the band began an interactive puzzle with clips of the song, combining all of the pieces together will create the song in its full length. A previous November 2014 single, "Rot", was re-recorded for the release of ''Node''.

Critical reception

The album received mostly positive reviews, but also mixed reviews from several critics. ''Distorted Sound'' scored the album 8 out of 10 and stated: "''Node'' is a phenomenal display of Northlane's ability to restructure and rediscover, a solid album that is recommended for both prog and metalcore fans alike. Bridge has clearly melted into the boiling pot of talent that are Northlane, stepped up to the plate and proven that he has what it takes to join such a well established band." ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'' gave it 7 out of 10 and said: "It's a bold new direction for a group with youth on their side that, while potentially divisive, points towards a bright future." Alex Sievers from ''KillYourStereo'' gave the album 60 out of 100 and said: "For a lot of punters, ''Node'' is easily one of the most anticipated heavy releases of the year ..yet I feel that ''Node'' has been a victim of that very same hype. While it hasn't quite crashed and burned, like say, ''Watch Dogs'' or like the new ''Star Wars'' movie will ..it's definitely taken a fair few hits from such expectations. This album really is an awkward transitional stage for what Northlane could become musically and stylistically, and who knows, that may very well be amazing come the next record. But at this current stage in their musical metamorphosis, there’s an inconsistent level of quality and a lacking in real sonic impact. Which is a just goddamn shame." Dom Lawson of ''

Louder Sound ''Classic Rock'' is a British magazine and website dedicated to rock music, owned and published by Future. It was launched in October 1998 and is based in London. The magazine publishes 13 editions a year, mainly covering rock bands from the 60, ...

'' gave the album 3.5 out 5, saying: "''Node'' is a strong step in the right direction and a testament to this band's fighting spirit." ''Wall of Sound'' rated the album 8.5 out of 10 and said: "All in all, the album is a great representation of how far this band from Sydney has come in the short amount of time they've been together and its a true indication of why the international fans are loving them too."

Track listing

Personnel

Credits for ''Node'' adapted from

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

. Northlane * Marcus Bridge –

lead vocals The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

* Jon Deiley –

lead guitar Lead guitar (also known as solo guitar) is a musical part for a guitar in which the guitarist plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs and chords within a song structure. The lead is the featur ...

, composition * Joshua Smith –

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

, composition * Alex Milovic – bass * Nic Pettersen –

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

Additional personnel * Will Putney –

production Production may refer to: Economics and business * Production (economics) * Production, the act of manufacturing goods * Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services) * Production as a stati ...

engineering Engineering is the use of scientific method, scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad rang ...

, mixing, mastering * Randy Leboeuf – engineering * Steve Seid – additional audio engineering * Tom Smith Jr. – editing * Luke Logemann – A&R, management * Adam Sylvester, Marco Walzel and Tom Johannessen – booking * Patrick Galvin – artwork, design

Charts

References

{{Authority control 2015 albums Northlane albums Distort Entertainment albums Rise Records albums UNFD albums Albums produced by Will Putney ARIA Award-winning albums