Influences: 6 Albums That Influenced Asymmetric Universe

Last summer, multi-instrumental duo Asymmetric Universe caught our attention at the ArcTanGent Festival. Fast-forward 12 months, and the Italian siblings have released their debut album, ‘A Memory And What Came After’. Its nine tracks allow Nicolò and Federico Vese to demonstrate their technical talents, effortlessly crossing genres and styles. Whether that is on the funk/prog fusion of opening track, ‘Coquelicot,’ ‘Don’t Go Too Early’s energetic jazz, or the hefty throbbing djentiness of ‘Reaction – Overthrow’.

It’s threaded together by a duo who are technically proficient, who complement each other well while also allowing to take the spotlight individually. You just have to listen to Nicolò’s rapid bass guitar fret play on ‘Opaco,’ or Federico’s sprawling guitar solos on ‘Fair Enough’ and ‘Dancing Through Contradictions’ to hear how talented the Vese brothers are.

Although this is Asymmetric Universe‘s debut album, Nicolò and Federico have a wealth of experience within the music industry. Both have individually composed music for video game soundtracks, and in the case of Federico, for one of Italy’s biggest radio stations. Their virtuosic talent, combined with their experience, means ‘A Memory And What Came After‘ results in being a rich, melody-shifting, and dynamic record.

Besides their experiences and versatile sound, Nicolò and Federico are first and foremost rock and metal fans. Their sound is rooted in prog metal, djent, and jazz-fusion. To learn more, they picked out six influential albums that have helped shape Asymmetric Universe‘s sound.

Meshuggah – obZen

Federico: I remember the first time I listened to ‘Bleed’ and ‘obZen’, those songs really changed the meaning of heavy and groovy for me. I have listened to the whole record so many times! I think that album is the foundation of most of the metal that has come in the last 15 years.

They had such a different and new language, our music for sure comes from that. ‘Bleed’ is probably their most famous song. I’m still impressed, as I was the first time I heard it, at how they manage to play at that intensity for so many minutes with such complex parts! I also love ‘Lethargica’ and ‘Dancers to a Discordant System’s grooves. They are so heavy, complex, yet still retain the groove typical of a breakdown.

Periphery – Periphery II: This Time It’s Personal

Federico: ‘Periphery II’ definitely changed how metal sounded at that time. Mixing heavy polyrhythmic riffs with stunning melodies and quite interesting chords, they really were in some way the evolution of metalcore in a more nerdy and complex shape.

I was already a Periphery fan since their debut album, but with this record, they definitely became one of my favourite bands. I remember studying ‘Make Total Destroy’, one of my favourite songs from that album, in those riffs, they used basically all the guitar techniques you can study! I also really loved the more melodic ones like ‘Facepalm Mute’, and the solos in ‘Luck as a Constant’ still give goosebumps.

Animals As Leaders – The Joy of Motion

Federico: ‘The Joy of Motion’ changed the perspective on what can be done with a guitar. It’s the album that gave a new image to the instrument and gave new life to the instrumental genre. Since then, the “modern guitar” referred to the legendary guitarist of the 80s-90s and early 00s, but with this album, the guitar was reborn with a new life and a new variety of sounds. Also, the use of a more complex and jazzy harmony was so inspiring!

The iconic ‘Woven Web’ was really something new and outstanding. I also love ‘Para Mexer,’ such a different and new approach, and ‘Tooth and Claw’ with those heavy yet singable riffs.

Slipknot – Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)

Nicolò: I first discovered Slipknot when I was around 12 years old, after buying ‘Guitar Hero 3’. That’s where I first heard ‘Before I Forget.’ From that moment on, my teenage years completely changed. Even after 20 years, this album still feels like one of the angriest and most powerful ever made.

You can clearly hear their influence in so many modern bands today, even in soundtracks like the one for Doom. ‘The Blister Exists’ is still one of my all-time favourite metal songs, and ‘Pulse of the Maggots’ is just pure adrenaline. Honestly, it’s one of the best albums ever.

Loathe – I Let It In and It Took Everything

Nicolò: I love this album for its almost “punk” aesthetic and its intentional use of “rough” or “imperfect” tones. Unlike many modern metal bands, Loathe weren’t aiming for a sound that’s polished or traditionally “good,” but rather something colourful and full of character.

The songwriting is top-notch, with some parts leaning into an almost math metal territory, very reminiscent of Dillinger Escape Plan. My favourite tracks are definitely ‘Is It Really You?’, ‘Gored,’ and ‘I Let It In and It Took Everything…’. It’s a truly stunning record.

Tesseract – Altered State

Nicolò: The lore behind this album is incredible, as is the concept of exploring different perspectives on reality. The displaced riffs are a signature of Tesseract’s style and honestly, I love them. The melodies are epic and cinematic, which I deeply connect with, especially since I also work as a soundtrack composer. That sax solo in ‘Calabi-Yau’ was a game-changer for progressive metal.

It reminds me a bit of classic prog like King Crimson, but it also opened a whole new world for the next generation, including the one Asymmetric Universe is part of! My favourite tracks are definitely ‘Nocturne,’ ‘Eclipse,’ and ‘Calabi-Yau.’