Beginning with an ominous dirge and warnings of martial law, the new effort from Lurid State quickly proceeds to wire and detonate a dirty bomb of modern metal with blast pressure that gives you no choice but to nod your head. Make no mistake about the tag "modern," this isn't another bland and mediocre whatevercore record by a fifth rate clone band, but a great example of what happens when a band takes the elements of this subgenre and creates something solid.
With tight rhythms and tasteful breakdowns, songs such as I Am The Light and When All Faith Dies relentlessly pummel the senses with confident swagger and tenacious energy. This attitude permeates the entire recording and helps to hold the listener's attention fixed to the music. However, Lurid State is not a one trick pony that simply has energy to throw at you. A case in point would be midway through the song Battle where the punishing pace descends into a slow, bass and drums driven interlude before dynamically building to an exploding crescendo. These atmospheric and melodic moments that are sprinkled throughout the sonic landscape really help to emphasize the impact of the heavy parts.
Clearly influenced by many styles of metal, Lurid State is adept at injecting these influences into their own music. From death metal to thrash to 90s' hardcore, and perhaps even a little black metal, the songs on "Dissenter" each have some variations that keep the proceedings fresh and engaging. There are guitar leads, blast beats, venomous riffs, and lots of groove that simply couldn't fail to set off explosive moshpits in a live setting.
There being no one formula that the band relies on to express their material really boosts the power of this album. The well thought out approach to writing gives each song an identity within the confines of the whole, there are simply no throwaway tracks to be found. The musicianship is top notch in all departments and the vocals of Sean Carr and Brandon Tutty are brutal and highly competent. Recording-wise, the record has a thick, robust and modern sound with a little dirt thrown in for good measure. This slight film of grit enhances the listening experience and distinguishes it from the lifeless and overly slick recordings of many bands in this style of music.
Taking all of this in, it cannot be doubted that Lurid State means business and has the chops and songs to back it up. They have shown immense growth since their first release in 2009 and with this new album are producing music that can proudly stand along side the output of many a national band in this genre. "Dissenter" is solid pile of proof that Arizona metal has a lot to offer and should be supported.
Final Score: 8/10
I have made love to every member of Lurid State.
ReplyDelete