{"id":251201,"date":"2026-01-22T05:47:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:47:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/251201\/"},"modified":"2026-01-22T05:47:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T05:47:08","slug":"review-textures-genotype-the-progressive-subway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/251201\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Textures – Genotype – The Progressive Subway"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Published by Dave<\/a> on January 21, 2026January 21, 2026<\/p>\n

\"\"No artist credited<\/p>\n

Style: Progressive metal, djent (Mixed vocals, mostly clean)
Recommended for fans of: TesseracT, Karnivool, VOLA, Ions<\/a>
Country: The Netherlands
Release date: 23 January 2026<\/p>\n

\u201cNew year, new you\u201d, as the saying goes. The turn of the year is a time of reformation and new beginnings. With the weight of the previous months off of one\u2019s shoulders, a bevy of opportunities emerge,1<\/a> whether they be health-related, behavior-related, or just goals to set the tone for the year. These kinds of resolutions rarely manifest musically, but for Dutch progressive metallers Textures, the timing couldn\u2019t be better: a sudden explosion of harsh vocals and reverberating guitar chords signal the confident establishment of a reformed identity in the first moments of latest release, Genotype. Promising a metamorphosis in sound, does Genotype crawl its way into the listener\u2019s DNA after a long-anticipated wait, or should we wait for next year\u2019s resolutions?<\/p>\n

Though the record shares a name with the ultimately scrapped follow-up to 2016\u2019s legendary Phenotype, Genotype is all new material\u2014the single-song approach was abandoned in favor of multiple parts and a heavier focus on melodics. The angular riffage and technicality of Textures past are still visible, but it\u2019s coated in a sheen of spacey keyboards and a pronounced vocal performance. \u201cAt the Edge of Winter\u201d is more VOLA than it is Meshuggah, featuring bouncy, kinetic djents and upper-register rambling guitar arpeggios; the grooves on \u201cMeasuring the Heavens\u201d are conversely spacious and methodical, leaving room for vocoder work and lilting keyboards; and \u201cA Seat for the Like-Minded\u201d features persistent plucky synths and choppy tremolo backing riffs. This Textural evolution manifests further in the lyricism, focusing on socially conscious topics and giving voice to undersung populations. As an autistic person, I was quite excited to read in the promo that one of the songs covered \u2018people living with autism\u2019, though I have yet to figure out which track is about playing RollerCoaster Tycoon for fourteen hours straight.<\/p>\n

Genotype shifts Textures\u2019 compositional focus to Dani\u00ebl de Jongh\u2019s vocals, blanketing much of the runtime in gravelly cleans. De Jongh always exuded a powerful charisma, but his performance on Genotype is even more refined, lending itself well to both quieter and more intense passages. The verses of \u201cAt the Edge of Winter\u201d are infectiously singable, beginning with silky, subdued melodies which become punctuated and projected near their end. I couldn\u2019t tell you the semiotics of lines like \u201cThe Earth shakes \/ the shivering soil \/ BREAKING THE BOUNDARIES OF TIME!\u201d, but you better believe I\u2019m belting them out every time I hear them. \u201cVanishing Twin\u201d incorporates rich vocal harmonies \u00e0 la The Detached-era Anubis Gate, and clean vocals dance around rubber-band chugs on \u201cA Seat for the Like-Minded\u201d in a world-weary tone. De Jongh\u2019s harsh vocals are underplayed in comparison to his cleans, but they are delivered with supreme confidence when they do emerge: \u201cCloser to the Unknown\u201d most readily indulges in harshes with skittering pre-choruses augmented by throaty shrieks.<\/p>\n

Despite the newfound focus on vocals, the instrumentals shine in several facets, most notably in Textures\u2019 ability to explore varied ideas within a sonic space. Genotype is cohesive without feeling stale, featuring fast-moving pieces with massive high points alongside more subdued tracks with concentrated bouts of kinetic energy. The pre-chorus of \u201cCloser to the Unknown\u201d has an edge that echoes Phenotype\u2019s \u201cShaping a Single Grain of Sand\u201d, where jutting, spasmodic rhythms are layered with abandon before opening up to a slick, chuggy chorus. Conversely, \u201cNautical Dusk\u201d starts off slow and viscous, crushing the listener under accelerating tremolos and pummeling drum kicks in its refrains. Closer \u201cWalls of the Soul\u201d is comparatively ethereal, featuring floaty fusion drumming redolent of fellow Dutchmen Exivious on its way to Genotype\u2019s biggest climax. The stuttering drums stabilize themselves in a titanic denouement with ascending guitar licks, bouncing vocal melodies, and groovy rhythms.<\/p>\n

\u2026 except Genotype doesn\u2019t end there. \u201cWalls of the Soul\u201d returns to its opening drum pattern for another two minutes, meandering around tepid keyboard atmospherics; the momentum set up by the track\u2019s climax gets broken and the record ends on an inauspicious note. Genotype features much to praise compositionally, but \u201cWalls of the Soul\u201d is one of a few tracks that incorporate eyebrow-raising details that mar enjoyability and memorability. \u201cVoid\u201d ruminates on swelling keyboards and thumping drum work to the point that it stalls Genotype\u2019s initial momentum and leaves me a bit impatient for \u201cAt the Edge of Winter\u201d. Then, \u201cAt the Edge of Winter\u201d magnificently bookends itself with harsh vocals atop its introductory riff\u2014but the track reprises the bridge non-sequitur for another minute afterwards. The coda isn\u2019t bad, but it\u2019s a bizarre add-on when the track already came to a perfect conclusion.<\/p>\n

Compositional hiccups aside, Textures\u2019 return is undoubtedly a welcome one. The Dutchmen wasted no time dusting off the cobwebs, evolving their sound on Phenotype into something a bit less chaotic, a bit less technical, but leagues more melodic and catchy. Kudos must be given in particular to Genotype\u2019s varied yet cohesive songwriting, giving the group ample choices in terms of future direction. My only hope is that on future releases, they can end songs with more confidence and prudent timing. Now, if you\u2019ll excuse me, I have a gym membership to go buy.<\/p>\n

Recommended tracks: Walls of the Soul, At the Edge of Winter, A Seat for the Like-Minded
You may also like: Disperse, Intrascendence<\/a>, Nosp\u016bn (Ozai)<\/a>, Temic<\/a>
Final verdict: 7\/10<\/p>\n

Related links: Facebook<\/a> | Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n

Label: KScope<\/a><\/p>\n

Textures is:
\u2013 Dani\u00ebl de Jongh: vocals
\u2013 Bart Hennephof: guitars
\u2013 Joe Tal: guitars
\u2013 Remko Tielemans: bass
\u2013 Uri Dijk: keyboards
\u2013 Stef Broks: drums
With guests:
\u2013 Charlotte Wessels: vocals, track 2<\/p>\n

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