Thursday 3 October 2019

Destroyer Destroyer - The Dead Sleep Like Us For A Reason (Re-issue)


Labels: Wax Vessel (Distributed via Pattern Recognition Records)
Formats: Vinyl/Tape/Digital
Release Date: 06 June 19

Tracklist:

1. Dead Weight As Far As The Eye Can See
2. Horse-Drawn
3. Error
4. I'm Tired Of Making You Listen And You Listen Good
5. Chainsodomy
6. 1981-2005
7. Why Isn't Dr. Gregory's Office Open? Because It's Sunday. No It Ain't!
8. Don't Be Ridiculous, Doctor.

2019 could be the labelled as the year that Myspace grind and mathcore finally makes it's resurgence. Things tend to go full-circle and now the technical metal that was considered "too scene" over a decade ago comes back around. Leading the charge alongside Mathcore Index is new US label Wax Vessel, which is bringing re-releasing a number of cult records including the 2006 debut from Destroyer Destroyer, which originally saw the light of day in 2006. I have this on pre-order along with the re-issue of The Heartland's "The Stars Outnumber The Dead", but I couldn't wait much longer before giving this a write-up.

Destroyer Destroyer’s sound was one of intense extremity and fast tempos. Captured once again for this re-issue it shows just how extreme they really were. Opener Dead Weight As Far As The Eye Can See mixes high-pitched screams and with grinding drums, super-low breakdowns and constantly changing polyrhythms. This record was classed as more of an EP when it was first released and you can hear why. Its song lengths are short but DD fits a lot into them. Horse-Drawn starts, stops and swings in many different directions while retaining a structure that eschews melody in favour of fret wizardry. It’s not so much progressive as it is just mad.

This record is utterly mental and when you consider that Error stretches to over five-minutes, you’ll be left either in awe of it or wondering what hell you just stumbled into. The mix of grinding terror and subtle post-hardcore riffs will have you scratching your head for sure. They’re back with a shorter and snappier song next in the form of I’m Tired Of Making You Listen And You Listen Good. I’m not saying that Error didn’t work, because it did, but the shorter more crazed sound seems to suit DD better and the 7-string work throughout it is beastly, as are the rest of the instrumentation and vocals alike.

Chainsodomy starts off the second half all too quickly and is over before you know it. It doesn’t get any easier on 1981-2005, which goes by before you’ve even managed to focus your attention on it. Both songs are mental and the super high-pitched screams on the latter are almost as piercing as those put forth by The Body! You have to laugh at titles like Why Isn’t Dr. Gregory’s Office Open? Because It’s Sunday. No It Ain’t!. It fits the music perfectly though, as DD’s bewildering approach to metal is unbelievable. Again, it’s a piercing song in places but it also contains some great off-kilter passages that at times resemble jazz but then again not so much. 

Closer Don’t Be Ridiculous, Doctor. leaves your head in a spin and your ears ringing with feedback. A fitting way to end this monster of a record. I don’t really know what else to say, except that this may well be one of the most extreme releases that I’ve dared play in my flat for a longtime (especially with neighbours both above and below me). I missed out on it first time round, so getting opportunity to pick a re-issued copy now is great. Vinyl copies are limited to just 200 and tape copies to 110. Grab one while you can!

You can stream "The Dead Sleep..." and grab it digitally or on one of the last remaining 18 tapes via Pattern Recognition Records below:-





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