The word 'djent' is an onomatopoeia for a heavily palm-muted, distorted guitar chord. It was coined by Meshuggah guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, though generally made popular by Mansoor on the band's online forum and it was there that Kahney originally learned the technique. When Thordendal heard and commented on some of Kahney's riffs, it was all the encouragement he needed to forge ahead.
Embodying the international vibe of the genre, Frenchman Juilien Perier initially supplied vocals but the logistical difficulties meant that he could not join the band permanently. The line-up was completed by Jay Postones on Drums, James Monteith on Guitar and Amos Williams on Bass. Monteith and Williams brought along with them the vocalist of their previous band 209, Abisola Obasanya. TesseracT released a three-track demo with Obasanya on vocals. In 2009, the band parted ways with Obasanya and chose Dan Tompkins (SkyHarbor, In Colour, ex-First Signs of Frost, Piano) to take over vocal duties.
TesseracT's long-awaited debut album 'One' was released on September 12th 2011 with Tompkins on vocals.
On August 20th 2011, rumours began spreading that vocalist Daniel Tompkins had left the band, as TesseracT were seen performing with a different vocalist during a gig at the Crauford Arms in Milton Keynes. This was confirmed by the band on the 23rd, citing personal reasons for Daniel's departure. TesseracT introduced their new singer as Elliot Coleman (Zelliack, Of Man Not of Machine, ex-Sky Eats Airplane, ex-Of Legends). Daniel remains on good terms with his former band mates and stated that he enjoyed his time as TesseracT's vocalist. Elliot stated later that he would not move permanently to the UK and that joining TesseracT would not affect his other current projects.
TesseracT released one EP in with Coleman entitled 'Perspective' (released on May 22nd 2012, primarily featuring acoustic renditions of tracks from the band's debut album) before he too announced his departure from the band.
TesseracT announced in September 2012 that Coleman would be replaced by Ashe Austin O'Hara (Voices From the Fuselage, Nebulae). The band's second album 'Altered State' was released on May 27th 2013.
Vocalist Daniel Tompkins returned to the band in June 2014, replacing Austin on the band’s live album ‘Odyssey/Scala’. Following Tompkins’s return, TesseracT have released three full-length studio albums: Polaris in September 2015, Sonder in April 2018, and War of Being in September 2023.
Music
As stated in the band's official biography: "Fans will often focus on the quintet's time signatures and musical complexity, but TesseracT are far from an exclusionary exercise in tech/extreme prog metal pomposity. They fully embrace their experimental, prog sensibility without excessive indulgence or pretentiousness; delivering atmospheric, metallic songs that stir strong emotions and evoke powerful mental images. All of which, they argue, is at the core surprisingly simple".
2. Tesseract is a modern jazz quintet based out of Toronto, Canada. Alto Saxophonist Edwin Sheard, Tenor Saxophonist Leland Whitty, Guitarist Patrick O’Reilly, Bassist Julian Anderson-Bowes, and Drummer Derek Gray began playing together while studying at Humber College. They have continued this collaboration and can be seen regularly performing at venues across Toronto. Tesseract's debut CD, "Impossible Images", was released on February 29, 2012.
3. Tesseract is a democratically run jazz ensemble, formed in 2011, featuring the composing and playing talents of bassist Chris Hyson, saxophonist Matt Anderson, pianist Sam Leak and drummer Chris Draper.
DYSTOPIA
TesseracT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cursing through my teeth
Sweating in the heat
Stuck inside this dream of darkening frustration
Liars in my dream
I'm frightened and I'm weak
There's nothing left for me
And the vision I endure are simply entertainment
I hear the wolf that cries
See them multiply
You're ablaze behind the eyes
They burn into my memory
A sudden sense of hope
The virtue of my ghost
You're another ugly host
And I can't believe that you would just
Deny everything
I choose to live free
It took a second warning then i said goodbye
With tainted eyes i need to believe
It took a little longer to sympathise
And you were hoping i would give in to you
I won't dance because you want me to
No Romance
Deep down I only want to be the same
Now there's nowhere left to hide
Game of chance
I roll the dice for you
Hopless glance
Deep down i only want to be the same
Now there's nowhere left to hide
The greatest thing you'll ever learn
Is just to love and be loved in return
I'm living such a life
Therein lies your problem
Imperfect, circular, entropy
The fatal conclusion
With a little sympathy it'll burn inside
Let the fires decide
Imperfect and circular
I wont comfort you
No it won't be the same
There's nowhere left to hide
And I wont comfort you
No it won't be the same
There's nowhere left to hide
And I wont comfort you
No it won't be the same
There's nowhere left to hide
The song "Dystopia" portrays the feeling of being trapped in a nightmare where the darkness is closing in, leaving the person frightened and weak. The opening lines, "talking in my sleep, cursing through my teeth, sweating in the heat" paints a picture of a person struggling to cope with their reality, as they are stuck in a dream that is frustrating and full of despair. The lyrics go on to describe the presence of liars and dark figures that are chasing the singer, and how the visions they see are merely entertainment.
Amidst the chaos, there is a sudden sense of hope that arises, but it is short-lived as the singer encounters yet another ugly host, who denies everything. The song speaks of a sense of betrayal, as the person who was once sympathetic towards their struggles, is now trying to lure them into a false sense of comfort. The singer chooses to reject this offer, and instead chooses to live free, but it takes some effort to let go of their tainted perspective.
The song ends with a reminder of the importance of love and being loved in return, and how imperfection and circularity are inevitable in life. The lyrics also evoke a sense of defiance, as the singer refuses to dance, to give in to the whims of others and instead chooses to find their own path in life, regardless of the obstacles that may arise. Overall, the song portrays a journey of self-discovery and a fight towards freedom of thought and action.
Line by Line Meaning
Talking in my sleep
I am speaking unconsciously while I sleep
Cursing through my teeth
I am using profanity through my tightly closed jaw
Sweating in the heat
I am perspiring due to the high temperature
Stuck inside this dream of darkening frustration
I am trapped within a nightmare of growing anger and disappointment
Liars in my dream
There are people deceiving me within my subconscious
I'm frightened and I'm weak
I am scared and vulnerable
There's nothing left for me
There is no hope or options left for me
And the vision I endure are simply entertainment
The images I am experiencing are nothing more than amusement for my subconscious
Dark figures chasing me
Shadowy entities are pursuing me
I hear the wolf that cries
I can perceive the howl of a wolf
See them multiply
The figures seem to be increasing in number
You're ablaze behind the eyes
Your eyes burn with intensity
They burn into my memory
The images are being etched into my mind
A sudden sense of hope
A feeling of optimism emerges
The virtue of my ghost
The righteous nature of my supernatural being
You're another ugly host
You are yet another unpleasant individual
And I can't believe that you would just
It is unbelievable that you would only
Deny everything
Refuse to acknowledge any of it
I choose to live free
I have decided to live unrestrained
It took a second warning then i said goodbye
After giving a final warning, I parted ways
With tainted eyes i need to believe
Although suspicious, I must have faith
It took a little longer to sympathise
It required some additional time to feel compassion
And you were hoping i would give in to you
You desired that I surrender to your wishes
I won't dance because you want me to
I will not comply with your request to dance
No Romance
There will be no romantic interactions
Deep down I only want to be the same
Fundamentally, I simply desire to be myself
Now there's nowhere left to hide
There is no longer any place to conceal oneself
Game of chance
It is a gamble
I roll the dice for you
For your sake, I take the chance
Hopeless glance
A gaze of despair
Deep down I only want to be the same
At the core, I only desire to remain true to myself
The greatest thing you'll ever learn
The most significant lesson you will ever acquire
Is just to love and be loved in return
Is simply to love and to be loved reciprocally
I'm living such a life
I am currently existing in this type of existence
Therein lies your problem
That is where your issue is derived from
Imperfect, circular, entropy
Flawed, cyclical, and subject to gradual decline
The fatal conclusion
The unfortunate ending
With a little sympathy it'll burn inside
It will ache internally with a small amount of understanding
Let the fires decide
Allow the blazing flames to determine one's fate
I won't comfort you
I will not provide solace for you
No it won't be the same
It will be different now
There's nowhere left to hide
There is no longer an option for concealment
Contributed by Peyton I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.