After a long time out of the limelight the marvellous Miocene are back. For those who don’t know what these guys sound like think of One Minute Silence mashed up with hip hop and d’n’b beats then mix that with atmospheric and moody soundscapes and your starting to have a little idea of where Miocene are coming from.


Mixing equal parts rock, metal, electronica, drum and bass is what makes this band stand out so much and is what will surely make their fans more pleased that Miocene are back after a few years out. I find the quieter bits of the album as well as the more experimental dance influenced sections of album the most rewarding in many ways, it’s something different to the norm and show this band are just that. Different. Original. Outstanding.


The album however is slightly challenging. It’s not really music you can sing along to too much as a fair chunk of it is instrumental, it doesn’t stick to one style so big lovers of metal will love some bits and other sections might just fly over there heads. But certainly people who are already fans will think great things of the bands latest album. Another thing that might make this album difficult for some: It’s progressive. And by that I don’t just mean the guitar work is complex and the songs are long. The songs are often long and the guitar work is great but the album does really build the whole way through, all the songs flow into one it really does push itself forward.


The only thing that stops this album getting full marks is the odd last track “I Ain’t Got No Roots” that really does fit with the rest of the album and being the last track kind of leaves a sour taste. It’s not that it’s a bad song and it does sound like the same band but in my opinion it would have been better to end on 11 minute mammoth “(-) (i)youth (ii)zenith (iii)harvest (iv0dissolution”‘A Perfect Life With A View Of The Swamp’ is one of those rare records that you can truly get lost in. Listen very loud in a dark room for an incredible experience.