Traversus – Navigate

Navigate is the moniker for a new release from a Dutch ensemble named Traversus (the name Traversus comes from Latin and means ‘crossing’). If you aren’t familiar with band’s career so far, I can tell that Traversus’s consisting of Joey Wessels (guitar), Diko Eleveld (bass), Madelief de Groot (vocals & guitar) and Liam de Groot (drums).

Navigate has been released independently, while distributed by Hard Life Promotion. It is a follow-up to their debut 2023 EP – The Only Way Is Through. This most recent release is actually a six-tracker EP where it blow my mind with their well sounding, perfectly composed, well-written, coherent and light-hearted album. To paraphrase; Navigate is a progressive, powerful and atmospheric album, where everything is perfect; composition, sound and the overall performance. Produced by Joost van den Broek (known for working with bands like Epica and Ayreon) the sound is crystal clear, intricate and yet highly catchy.

EP features some complex yet catchy melodies, paired with emotional and deep, rich, and full-sounding vocals, intricate drum rhythms, dense riff work, cool bass patterns completing the picture, and finally with the lyrics that explore mental health, personal struggles and other societal issues.

Highlights of the EP for me are tracks “Headline Anxiety” and “No Way To Silence Me” both being particularly impactful. Where “Headline Anxiety” is a captivating song with a sing-alone chorus, “No Way To Silence Me” on the other hand is a sublim progressive, melodic, and with a particularly catchy vocal line, song that instantly sticks. The artwork for Navigate is in line with the band’s previous release, where the visual concept perfectly matches the album’s atmosphere and the lyrical intention of this release.

Final verdict: with Navigate, this Emmen-based quartet proves they’ve more than earned their place in the modern prog rock/metal scene, as they are capable of holding your attention throughout the six lentghy songs. That brought about Navite, a surprisingly accessible and listenable combination of different styles, each allowing the band to build a close connection with both mainstream rock and adventurous and often demanding metal audience. As such, fans of Leprous, Haken, Dream Theater, Forever Still, Xandria, Stream Of Passion, Elysion, will enjoy this perfectly balanced, powerful, atmospheric, distinct yet cohesive and correspondent EP.

Want to hear more from Traversus? You can find them on their facebook page.