Labels: Self-Released/Zegema Beach Records
Formats: Digital/Tape
Release Date: 19 Jan 2019
Tracklist:
1. Your Neighbour The Heritage-Ist
2. Episode
3. Passive Recruitment
4. We Will Break This
5. End Begin End
6. Osidian
7. Thats Crazy Glue
8. Where You Are
9. Learning Difference
10. Posthumous Book Club
It feels like it's been way more than a week since I last posted anything here. I'm back with the latest in my series of reviews looking at the (extensive) release catalogue from Zegema Beach Records. Specters Of Indifference was released back in January 2019, as the debut from New Jersey (USA) trio Dim Into Dross. To date it still stands as their only album, having been self-released by the band, as well as on tape at the same time by ZBR, of which 60 were made and are long sold out. It's worth noting at this point that Dim Into Dross featured (still features?) members of Massa Nera, Invalids and Bury Yourself.
This album looks furious from the get go with ten songs lasting about as many minutes. Opener ‘Your Neighbour The Heritage-ist’ is a technical, off-kilter hardcore song laced with screamo and metallic loveliness. Surprisingly raw sounding but all the better for it. ‘Episode’ sees the band flexing their rock n roll muscles slightly, while dual vocals come in later on as things get decidedly more intense. It’s pretty hard to categorise their music (even though I tried to above), especially if you read the tags at the bottom of their bandcamp page, which cover all bases.
Most of the songs here go by in under two minutes and on the grinding ‘Passive Recruitment’, Dim Into Dross deliver their most pummelling song so far. I really enjoyed the blasting percussion as it seemed to drag everything up another notch with it. I can’t believe that this was recorded by a three-piece. ‘We Will Break This’ has a more chunky/metal vibe going on, especially in the guitar and vocal department, reminding me a bit of From Autumn To Ashes in their heavier moments on Too Bad You’re Beautiful.
It all flows into mathcore madness once again on ‘End Begin End’, which seems ahead of it’s time given how popular that sub-genre has become over the last few years. I know mathcore isn’t a new thing but as new listeners have cropped up and represses of older albums have become more frequent, it’s only natural and welcomed. ‘Osidian’ is the album’s longest song and at this point there’s a refreshing introspection to Dim Into Dross and also a realisation that emoviolence wasn’t really part of the trio’s sound here, at least to these ears anyway.
The pace ratchets up once again on ’Thats Crazy Glue’, which kicks off a trio of short and sweet songs rooted in dissonance and feedback. The follow-on from ‘Thats Crazy Glue’ to ‘Where You Are’ is a case in point as ringing feedback gives way to trembling bass and yet more crazed, and sumptuously sludgy mathcore. Absolutely the best duo of songs for me!
Penultimate number ‘Learning Difference’ is just as technical but also fits the metalcore mould ever so slightly. Closing with ‘Posthumous Book Club’, Dim Into Dross put on something of an instrumental masterclass while not forgetting about their emotive side, as the vocals provide eloquent colour that paints such vivid pictures in the mind.
It’s criminal that this is the only recording to date from Dim Into Dross. Their hardcore/metal-tinged approach is perfect in my opinion. Maybe I’m going through another shift in music taste and I know that I’ll encounter similar sounding bands as I work my way through the ZBR roster, but right now this sound really hits the spot.
You can stream and purchase Specters Of Indifference as a name-your-price download from Dim Into Dross here:-
No comments:
Post a Comment