Asymmetric Universe

“We worked hard on writing melodies to be memorable, rather than a string of solos.”

Italian instrumental prog-jazz-metal sibling duo Asymmetric Universe wouldn’t exist without shared DNA — but in some ways, Nicolò and Federico Vese couldn’t have more disparate backgrounds.

“Bill Evans changed my life,” says Nicolò, a bassist and pianist with a jazz background. “I found my harmony in his music.” On the other end of the spectrum, Federico, a metalhead guitarist with an eye for technicality, cites “Meshuggah, Periphery and Animals As Leaders” as primary influences.

On writing their earlier material, Nicolò says: “Now that I think about it, we were working from opposite sides. Fede would start with metal on guitar, then we’d add jazz. For me, it’s the opposite – I’d start with jazz harmony on piano and then Fede would add metal parts.”

It would’ve been easy to continue down the same path — a jazz chord here, a metal riff there — but on 'A Memory And What Came After', Asymmetric Universe have combined their divergent interests into a singular identity that allows the two genres to exist simultaneously, within each other.

“Nowadays, we develop fusion ideas directly,” Federico says. “For example, I wrote the verse of 'Coquelicot' with the funk guitar and harmony already inside it. The genres were already blended.” Bringing the two styles together from the point of conception also allows for those crushing breakdowns in 'Feather On A Glass' to be set over Coltrane-esque chords, or the solo at the end of 'Dancing Through Contradictions' to choose chromaticism and modality over traditional tonality.

It might not sound like it, but this path toward combining contrasting ideas coherently was built on a commitment to “work with simpler ideas.”

“We worked hard on writing melodies to be memorable, rather than a string of solos,” explains Federico. By avoiding the trap many instrumental albums fall into, their intricate music retains an identifiable song structure that gives melodies room to breathe while carving out a space for genuinely impactful solos.

Through this approach, guest musicians such as Haken’s Richard Henshall (guitar on 'Coquelicot') and Sungazer’s Jared Yee (saxophone on 'Reaction — Overthrow') feel purposeful – more like jazz sidemen given the freedom to improvise than session musicians recording a pre-written part.

Even production follows a similar principle. They felt no need to keep organic and heavy instruments apart or take mixing risks when music history had already demonstrated how to blend seemingly conflicting timbres successfully.

“We avoided destroying the frequencies of the strings and trumpet by only using them to reinforce what was already there,” Nicolò says. “And there are plenty of examples of saxophone and guitar playing together in '70s fusion, so we already knew we could do that.” The climax of 'Those Who Stay' proves their point, with the sounds of jazz and metal colliding like a beautiful sonic poem for the album’s final theme.

Inevitably, such an explorative band will always continue to innovate and progress (they’re even toying with the idea of “adding vocals, possibly a jazz singer” into future releases). But if there’s one thing that 'A Memory And What Came After' has guaranteed going forward, it’s that Asymmetric Universe’s music is now a reflection of their shared DNA — intertwined, inseparable, and a wholly unique blend of two contrasting entities.

- Dan Peake

PROG FILE:

Line-Up: Federico Vese – Guitars, Vocals, Synthesizers, Drums & Winds Arrangement, Nicolò Vese – Bass, Piano, Synthesizers, Strings & Winds Arrangement.

Sounds Like: If Animals As Leaders were only allowed to perform jazz standards.

Current Release: //A Memory And What Came After// is out now on InsideOut Music

Website: Asymmetric Universe | Official Website | Progressive Metal Band