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.
Utopía
TesseracT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You give no reflection of me at all
Your wicked ways i won't understand intoxicating weaker men
Rusting scissors in the draw pull me closer to life no more
Why am i so confused, unimpressed and unamused?
No, something's not right
Open your arms to the sky
It's a combination of numbers
Oh and a set of missing keys
I've been painting pictures but the colors disagree
And bad things come in threes
The wind is blowing
I am falling through a hurricane
As building tear up from the ground
No way of knowing where I'm going
Circulating through the wildest night
Give in to these sudden urges for more
Something's not right
Open your arms to the sky
Focus the light
I've been, I've been panting pictures
I can't, I just can't taste the freedom
I've been, I've been painting pictures
Stuck in a room full of voices
Oh with nobody to be seen
I can sense the danger as the colors now agree
And the picture is obscene
The wind is blowing
I am falling through a hurricane
As building tear up from the ground
I can't, I just can't taste the freedom
I've been, I've been painting pictures
Tempted and enticed I neglected Eden
You know that I can't, I just can't taste the freedom
Give me forgiveness, total regression, remedy
Double the vision, triple the tension, trickery
Total division, given destruction, synergy
Double the vision now
Give me devotion, total remission, remedy
Double the vision, triple the tension, trickery
Total division, given destruction, synergy
Double the vision now
Give me forgiveness, total regression, remedy
Double the vision, triple the tension, trickery
Total division, given destruction, synergy
Double the vision now
The lyrics of TesseracT's song Utopia are deeply introspective and speak to the confusion, disillusionment, and sense of being lost that the singer is experiencing. The opening lines, "Broken mirror on the wall, you give no reflection of me at all" suggest a feeling of disassociation from one's own self. The singer then turns to the external world, acknowledging how the "wicked ways" of others can be intoxicating and captivating, making "weaker men" fall prey to them. The singer seems to be struggling to make sense of this and finds no understanding in it.
The song takes a turn with the line, "It's a combination of numbers, oh and a set of missing keys." It suggests a puzzle, something that needs to be solved, but the colors are not harmonizing, and the bad things keep happening repetitively. The singer seems to be lost and felt like he is experiencing a hurricane. The building keeps tearing apart from the ground, and he has no idea where he is going. The confusion peaks as the singer feels incarcerated in his own mind as he speaks of being "stuck in a room full of voices/with nobody to be seen."
The song is a journey that takes the listener on a ride of introspection and makes one question their own perceptions. Utopia is not the ideal world described in books, but it is a state of mind where one is genuinely alive and content. The singer's confusion and disillusionment make it feel like utopia is far away, and only by taking the right steps to understand themselves, finding enlightenment can they find their utopia.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken mirror on the wall
The mirror is broken and it doesn't reflect the persona of the singer.
You give no reflection of me at all
The mirror doesn't show the singer's appearance or personality.
Your wicked ways i won't understand intoxicating weaker men
The mirror has a power that can cause confusion or a lack of understanding in some individuals.
Rusting scissors in the draw pull me closer to life no more
Scissors are rusty and no longer serve as a tool for the singer's life, as his circumstances have changed.
Why am i so confused, unimpressed and unamused?
The singer asks why he feels unimpressed and confused by his surroundings and the mirror's behavior.
No, something's not right
The singer feels that something is amiss.
Open your arms to the sky
The singer is advising someone to embrace the sky or aspirations and goals.
Focus the light
The singer is advising someone to concentrate or focus on something.
It's a combination of numbers
The singer thinks that the solution to the problem is based on some mathematical calculations or logic.
Oh and a set of missing keys
The singer thinks that some relevant information or objects are missing that can help him solve the problem.
I've been painting pictures but the colors disagree
The singer is using an artistic metaphor to describe his inability to find a suitable solution due to conflicting elements.
And bad things come in threes
The singer is suggesting that negative events or consequences might happen in groups of three.
The wind is blowing
The singer is experiencing a volatile situation that is beyond his control.
I am falling through a hurricane
The singer is trapped in a chaotic and dangerous circumstance and can't escape.
As building tear up from the ground
The surrounding environment is changing and causing damage in that process.
No way of knowing where I'm going
The singer feels lost and unsure about his destination.
Circulating through the wildest night
The singer is experiencing an intense situation that is overwhelming and challenging.
Give in to these sudden urges for more
The singer is suggesting that he is willing to take risks or explore new possibilities to break free from this situation.
Stuck in a room full of voices
The singer is feeling trapped in a situation where there are too many distractions or inputs.
Oh with nobody to be seen
The singer is alone or feels disconnected from others, although he is in a crowded space.
I can sense the danger as the colors now agree
The singer is feeling that the situation is critical and hazardous because everything is coming together to form a dangerous outcome.
And the picture is obscene
The final outcome is grotesque and not desirable.
I've been, I've been panting pictures
The singer is trying to create a new reality or find a better solution.
I can't, I just can't taste the freedom
The singer feels that he is trapped and can't find a way to escape or feel liberated.
Tempted and enticed I neglected Eden
The singer has fallen into temptation or lured by the fantasy of an ideal life, ignoring the reality.
Give me forgiveness, total regression, remedy
The singer is asking for forgiveness or a way to forget past mistakes as a cure for his predicament.
Double the vision, triple the tension, trickery
The singer is suggesting that he needs to look at things from a different perspective to alleviate the pressure and deception he is facing.
Total division, given destruction, synergy
The singer is describing the need for a significant change, something that can cause chaos but might bring positive outcomes eventually.
Double the vision now
The singer is emphasizing the importance of taking a different perspective.
Give me devotion, total remission, remedy
The singer is asking for a commitment or a solution to the problem that completely eradicates the situation.
Contributed by John V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.