Mrtex/Kelut - Split

Labels: Dead Punx Records/Dead Tank Records/Dingleberry Records/IFB Records/Zegema Beach Records

Formats: Vinyl/Digital

Release Date: 23 July 2017

Tracklist:

1. Mrtex - Intro

2. Mrtex - Van Llewyn & Burke, Carter J. - Welcome to 2017 (you pieces of shit)

3. Mrtex - Interlude

4. Mrtex - The Dark Ages 2.0 (Copyright USA 2017)

5. Mrtex - Straight the Fuck Down

6. Kelut - Riflessioni Opposte Producono Risultati Diversi

7. Kelut - Determining Things Under The Sun When Your Sight Is Blocked Always Deters One From Coming To The Ultimate Conclusion

8. Kelut - Ti Ho Visto In Un Sogno E Ho Capito Che Eri Piu Realistico Rispetto A Quando Ero Sveglio

9. Kelut - Mettere I Piatti In Tavola E Far Finta Che Niente Era Li

10. Kelut - L'ultima Domanda Sara Richiesto Quando la Mancanza Muore E Si Sono Lasciati A Guardare Il Soffitto Di Una Stanza Vuota

Is it me or is the postal system getting worse? Or more accurately, the UK postal system. The wait for parcels to drop right now is almost soul destroying. That's a moan for another time though, as today I'm revisiting another release from US screamo/powerviolence band Mrtex. Said release is their 2017 split LP with countrymen Kelut (the band with probably the longest song titles ever) and an Italian connection too, maybe?. The LP was limited to 300 copies on black vinyl.

I do enjoy split releases where the bands get equal sides, like this one. Mrtex start their side with ‘Intro’, which is full of gentle guitar and is very calming. What follows it is anything but, as ‘Van Llewyn & Burke, Carter J - Welcome to 2017 (you pieces of shit)’ explodes into life with blasting emoviolence and movie samples. It’s a swirling mass of bass-heavy riffs, drums and probably the angriest vocals I’ve heard from Mrtex. The pace slows again on ‘Interlude’, with it’s midwest emo vibes (kind of?). I don’t know if that was what they were going for but it sort of reminds me of The Promise Ring musically and the We Came Out Like Tigers spoken-word approach vocally. 

‘The Dark Ages 2.0 (Copyright USA 2017) definitely has a much more straight-up screamo sound, even with the occasional bursts of violence woven into it. Mrtex’s closer ’Straight The Fuck Down’ takes you on journey for over five minutes. One that again uses strong movie sample influences/references, which have also been a big part of ZBR throughout it’s existence. It’s heavy at times but much more ambient, which certainly adds a dramatic aspect to the end of Mrtex’s side. 

Kelut being their side with ‘Riflessioni Opposte Producono Risultati Diversi’, which is made up of angular, off-kilter screamo with multiple vocalists. The song seems to go from mid-paced to fast and then back to mid-paced again, which I guess is nothing too radical, except when it gets fast it’s exhilarating and mathy.  ‘Determining Things Under The Sun When Your Sight Is Blocked Always Deters One From Coming To The Ultimate Conclusion’ isn’t just a song with a long title, it’s also the screamiest of screamy songs. It’s pretty jazz-like at times too, just without the noodling. So good!

‘Ti Ho Visto In Un Sogno E Ho Capito Che Eri Piu Realistico Rispetto A Quando Ero Sveglio’ follows on straight after with as much visceral anger and screaming. What’s more surprising about this song is just how chunky the riffs are and how awesome the vocals sound (they almost sound Japanese at times, but I’m pretty sure they’re either Italian or indecipherable English). I really like how Kelut’s songs flow into one another, even if they go off in different directions eventually. ‘Mettere I Piatti In Tavola E Far Finta Che Niente Era Li’ has all the atmosphere, before going on an off-kilter march ending in black metal territory (in the vocal department at least).

Kelut closes with ‘L'ultima Domanda Sara Richiesto Quando la Mancanza Muore E Si Sono Lasciati A Guardare Il Soffitto Di Una Stanza Vuota’, which grinds and riffs it’s way through the first sixty seconds, before turning into an introspective beast, filled with slower paced passages, disparate vocals and dramatic instrumentation. Post-metal seems to be at it’s core and it makes for an incredibly majestic end to the split. 

This was a review that I started and stopped because of writer’s block. I think coming back to it a few days later definitely helped me to appreciate it more and be able to talk about it in same way. Mrtex have always been excellent and Kelut have left a huge impression on me too, especially as this split features their only output (that I know of).

You can stream and buy the split as a name-your-price-download below:-

Mrtex - https://www.facebook.com/mrtexrebellion

Kelut - https://www.facebook.com/kelutband

Physical copies are still available from the labels below:-

Dead Tank Records - https://deadtankrecords.com/

Zegema Beach Records - CAN/INTL http://www.zegemabeachrecords.com/

Dead Punx Records - https://www.facebook.com/deadpunxrecords/

Dead Tank Records - https://www.facebook.com/deadtankrecords

Dingleberry Records - https://www.facebook.com/Dingleberry-records-and-distribution

IFB Records - http://ifbrecords.blogspot.com

Zegema Beach Records - https://www.facebook.com/zegemabeachrecords