Beneath the Massacre, Dystopia
It’s amazing what a little over a year can do for a band. Beneath the Massacre’s last album, Mechanics of Dysfunction, was a technical monstrosity of a release, but it was lacking a little something. With Dystopia, the latest from the Canadian group, those short comings have been isolated and curb stomped with a vengeance.
The technical wizardry of sweep-picking destruction still abounds on the disc, but it’s also matched with a more matured song writing bass and more aggression. The vocals are deeper, more ferocious and simply sound much better within the brutal mix of each track. Getting back to the songs’ structures, the band has mixed some heavy doses of bludgeoning breakdowns within their rapid fire mix of double bass and spastic riffing.
Condemned
“Condemned” opens up the album fading in from out of nowhere with immediate sweep picking that’s just sick on a completely new level of technicality. A huge growl comes in briefly before the group descends into massive riffing and thundering drum work. There are more technical riffs thrown about on this track like there’s no tomorrow, but the screwed up thing is that not one of them feels out of place. Everything flows and mixes with the next element in bludgeoning perfection.
Reign Of Terror
The next one also fades in quickly from background noise with massive drumming and slick guitar work. The lead vocals have a renewed ferocity and aggression within that was lacking in the last release from the band. Someone’s definitely been practicing. I love the breakdown moshing that shoves the vocals in your face around the 1:30 mark. This is one hell of a track.
Our Common Grave
“Our Common Grave” continues the unrelenting pace with loads of double bass and pick sweeping like there’s no tomorrow. The massive riffs just after :25 are killer and will have you tearing up your room like a madman in a frenzy of swinging arms and head banging mayhem. This could very well be my favorite track on the album.
Harvest Of Hate
Manic drum work and a series of sick growls gets this one going with a blistering pace. Technical sweeps come in quickly but step aside momentarily for massive riffs and double bass blasts. There’s a great Dillinger Escape Plan feel to the tempo shifts after the one minute mark, but have a much more brutal feel. Sheer insanity erupts with some slick leads at the 2:30 mark.
The Wasteland
“The Wasteland” continues the rapid fire blasts to your cranium with massive riffing and ferocious drum work. The sweeping on this one is spastic and frenzied but matches the bludgeoning rhythms beautifully. Sludgy mosh meets technical brutality around the 1:30 mark in a dynamic fight to be the first to cave in your skull. Just be prepared for the insane double bass blasts that follows.
Bitter
Frenetic blasts and manic guitars get this next one off to a rapid fire start as the growls come in with boundless ferocity. There’s even a subtle bit of melody thrown into the mix for good measure, but don’t worry, it’s subtle and matches the brutality perfectly. The lead just before the one minute mark is sick — plain and simple.
No Future
This sub one minute track starts off with thick bass and heavy guitar hits. This thing is a solid breakdown that lasts just under a minute’s time.
Lithium Overdose
This one certainly doesn’t feel like an overdose on lithium. It’s more like I’ve swapped Ritalin for trucker speed and then descended upon some traveling carnival for some well intentioned mayhem. I love the freaking massive riffing around the 1:30 point. This track is all over the place.
Never More
“Never More” hits with a massive wall of brutality. Huge riffs, sweep picking and beastial drumming hit from every angle and don’t let up until the song has come to a complete end. This one is powerful and aggressive. There’s also a subtle bit of melody weaving in and out of the blast beats like some necrotic worm slowly eating away at your brain. I hope you’re ready for some moshing because the three minute mark has a killer breakdown waiting for you.
Procreating The Infection
Beneath the Massacre certainly know how to end an album. “Procreating the Infection” has some sick drum work and searing leads throughout that only hint at the skills the band really has yet to showcase on any album they’re released so far. This track is simply some of their best song writing and performances to date.
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Some bands are technical wizards. Some bands are one trick mosh ponies. Few are capable of marrying the two into the massive, frenetic attack on the senses that Beneath the Massacre has managed to do with Dystopia. Quite simply this album has the intensity and adrenaline rush of a near death experience at high speeds. I want more of it.
Favorite Tracks:
All of them
Additional Notes:
N/A