A Massive Case of Dissontery
Apologies for the delay in getting going with the not-to-miss disso releases for this year. There has been an inordinate amount of illness ravaging my household for 2 months on now—from norovirus to impetigo and even viral pink eye. To offer my sincerest sowwy, I shall present thee now with an overwhelming amount of delectable dissonant delicacies. If I have to be sick physically, you all can join me in being sick morally for listening to these.
Hierarchies – S/T (January 26)
Well, Transcending Obscurity thought it a grand idea to pummel us listeners with a dense boi right out the gate in 2025. Hierarchies have dropped their debut S/T LP and it’s a doozy and not for dissonant novices. Seemingly formless and unpredictable, this group contains members from fellow death metal weirdos Acausal Intrusion and Dwelling Below, so if you are familiar with those acts, you should know what to expect here. Twisting guitars shift from one manic phrase to another in lighting quick transitions designed to create confusion and a sense of constantly being uncomfortable. Trying to digest one idea presented in a single track is quite the undertaking, all while the music shifts to something new, leaving your consciousness in the dust. I’ve been spinning this often since its release and I feel I still have only scratched the surface.
Uulliata Digir – S/T (January 10)
Oh, you thought the last album was weird? Well, have I got a surprise for you friends. If you find yourself unfamiliar with this group, allow me to introduce you to some real avant-garde shit full of…well…a lot of stuff. Do you like music that pushes boundaries and genre identifiers? What about soaring female vocals that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Dune movie soundtrack? Also, what’s your take on trumpets? Feeling confused yet? You should, as this nascent group has all that plus more wrapped in something of a blackish metal package. Uulliata Digir have crafted something that truly has to be listened to in order to understand. Even then, their approach to crafting music is still difficult to describe. Trust me when I say that this is off-putting, but in the best way possible. The tribal drums and piercing brass just pull me back to it constantly.
Exterior Palnet – Haragma II (January 24)
I feel there is something of a theme starting off this year in terms of dissonant metal—that theme is weirdness. Not to be outdone by their debuting peers, Croatia’s Exterior Palnet (yes its palnet, not planet. No, of course I have never mixed it up and searched for it incorrectly!) have released their second LP and have entered themselves into the fray of crazy and batshit records of this young year. Not as challenging in terms of creativity and avant executions, Haragma II is still loaded with surprises and challenging shifts. If you are looking for a replacement in your playlist for DsO or other sketch bands of that ilk, this this will likely serve as an ample contender; it’s dense and haunting, but still maintains enough hooks and grooves to burrow in your skin. This release is made even more impressive knowing that it’s the work of only 2 members. Also, just check out this logo. It’s so bad, it’s good:
Discordant Meditation – Tragic Creature (January 24)
Allow me to walk you down a different path now, dear reader/listener. Let’s scale back the weirdness and difficulty a bit and shift to something “easier,” I suppose you could call it. Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Discordant Meditation excel at that which is dissonant yet groovy. Taking notes from acts such as Demilich and Timeghoul, this duo understand exactly what they are. A heavy yet surprisingly accessible act of grimy goodness. Should you bang your head or shake your ass to these riffs? The correct answer is yes. Winding guitar lines, pummeling drumming, and excellent gurgles. Not anything you haven’t heard similar to before, but when it’s done this well, all that matters is that it rules and you’d be a fool to miss out on this one.
Uthullun – The Barbed Thread of Madness (January 29)
Uthullun is a mysterious one-man black metal project based out of Chicago, Illinois. Even the sole member goes by the moniker “Uthullun” and nothing else. However, if you find yourself intrigued by the self-description of “sunless black metal,” then do I have a treat for you. Morose, yet chaotic; hauntingly chilling, but still warm enough to burn through you; guitar lines that shriek and moan, but also pummel you into submission. Man, with only 2 tracks on this release, I have been thoroughly impressed by the intricate layering of the instruments and the shifts in composition. Also, I know I haven’t spoken upon any of the album art for these releases yet, but there is something about the chaotic frenzy of this piece that perfectly encapsulates the music presented.
Falsus Evangelium – Veneficvs, Barratry, et Magnvm Paccatvm (February 6)
Phew—we made it through January, boils and ghouls. Now let’s just see what this nice little demo from Indonesian one-man black metal band Falsus Evangelium has in store. Looks like auditory nightmares are back on the menu as this is some haunting, intricate, and precise black metal. Chilling despite being crafted in a tropical climate, this release instantly captured my attention with its deft song writing and impressive performances. All the work of singular entity Sprntrl, this is some seriously impressive craftsmanship that juggles both overwhelming, heavy, dissonant harshness as well as softer passages that lull you to continue through the constant horror. I have a strong suspicion that I have already discovered my favorite 2025 demo this early into the year.
Light Dweller – The Subjugate (February 28)
If you have spent any significant time around this here Toilet, you have probably seen the name Light Dweller pop up a time or two, and for good reason. This Phoenix, Arizona (REPRESENT!) one-man dissonant death metal project is the brain-child of Cameron Boesch, who since the project’s inception in 2017 is already 5 LPs and an EP into its run. Impressive output, especially considering the quality. All the typical tropes of DIY disso death are here with gurgles, constant shifts in tempo, and angular guitar work made to constantly keep you on your toes. However, with The Subjugate, Cameron has incorporated more electronic components to add another layer of complexity to the already dense material. This one here is a bit of a neck snapper—be warned, friends.
Venomous Echoes – Dysmor (February 28)
Oh I, Voidhanger Records, may you never change. Constantly pushing the boundaries of what metal, and sometimes even music itself, is and can be. Unafraid of genre label confinement, every year grants us with several off-the-wall releases that push the listener beyond a normal musical experience. With returning stalwarts Venomous Echoes, we are once again gifted with the dark, strange, and unfamiliar. But man oh man, this shit hits hard. Blending black and death, this project is yet another sole-member project with Ben Valweelden from Kettering, Ohio only helping to stifle the stigma behind one-man black metal projects. Creativity abounds, including the usage of piano, horns, and saxophone while maintaining impossibly heavy levels of atonal punishment. Don’t be surprised when you are left in a similar shape as the poor creature on the cover.
