If prog-rock has gone over the heads of today's modern metal and hardcore fans due to its self indulgent tendencies and reliance on non-tangible lyrical content, then The Postman Syndrome just may be the band that changes all the rules. Cerebral and intelligently written, these New Jersey natives take the type of omniscient presence often associated with the genre, build it up to skyscraping heights, and tear it all back down, rising up from the slums with three pronged guitar assaults, complex rhythms and a lethal dosage of savage aggression.

Easily comparable to bands like Tool, dredg and more, intricate compositions are employed to create an ascensive kind of tension that is subsequently unraveled with bursts of shimmering harmony and ruthless violence. This constant dynamic energy is effortlessly engaging and with a musical approach that is actually artistic, rather than commercially driven, the songs never come off as being artificial or contrived. Traces of various genres and influences are indeed present however, running the gamut from jazz and metalcore all the way to the haunting folk and pop of old. While this may sound warning bells for those with heavier tastes, rest assured that their softer side and more vulnerable moments feel like honest introspection and emotional cleansings rather than a catchy hook.

While such feats are impressive, the defining factor of this band is unquestionably their over the top heaviness and intensity which materializes through some starkly primal riffing and throaty screams. It is this down to earth expression of anger and frustration that really gives the band the ability to appeal to an audience that is not often interested in more expansive music and as such it is also The Postman Syndrome's trump card. Talented musicianship, intelligent song writing and some of the most purified creativity committed to CD in the past few years, "Terraforming" is an underground masterpiece that has sleeper hit written all over it.