The Not Too Dis(so)tant Future
Hello again, children. Allow me to sit you down and present you a story of what has passed, what is present, and what is yet to come in the world of dissonant metal. Come with me as we traverse more hardships of the auditory canals and become swept away in all the glory. But fret not, young ones, here there be dankness.
Conglaciation – Conglaciation (July 19)
Have you been thinking about how there has been a dire lack of Artificial Brain-esque madness in your life? Well, allow me to make an offering to quench your thirst for burping gurgles and sonic depravity. Hailing from New York, this trio have dropped a slice of progressive dissonant death metal sure to instill a fever in you no blanketing heat wave could keep pace with. Technical, but performed in a manner that it is never overdone, Conglaciation bring the filth and creativity needed to keep extreme death metal fresh without abandoning the heavy roots laid out by those who came before. Guitar and bass wizardry from the aforementioned Artificial Brain live guitarist Cotter Chaplin, burping gutturals from Andrew Gonzalez, and rounded out by the precise percussion attacks by James Knoerl, this self-titled debut impresses like few others are capable of.
In an album chock-full of dizzying riffs and devastating drumming, any song could really be highlighted to show off what makes this album such a killer. Just take a quick gander at closing track “Ameliorate” where we see low-end brutal death metal mixed with a flourishing of Spawn of Possession-style technicality. Especially at the 0:30 mark, we are treated with a shift from the opening idea straight into some musical wizardry sure to impress tech lover and haters (such as myself) alike. The only real downside for this release is the instrumental track in the middle that feels like it doesn’t really add anything to the album and drags a bit to the otherwise fairly tight running.
Eye Eater – Alienate (August 1)
This enigmatic group hailing from New Zealand have presented me with something I never thought I was missing from my life: dissonant djent. Now, before blowing off this release due to the “djent” moniker, please bear with me. As a fellow djent detractor, I too was weary going into this one. However, my fears were unsubstantiated as this shit goes hard and has hastily thrust itself to my list of most surprising and enjoyable listens of 2024. Pure punishment accompanied by beautiful harmonies all while constantly shifting through time signatures quicker than break dancing being an Olympic event, then not again.
Chock full of classical djent tropes like start-stop riffing and polyrhythms, all while projecting an atmosphere of morose contemplation, Eye Eater have thoroughly impressed me. Just take the album’s second track entitled “Glyphs” where a hauntingly beautiful guitar opening is then paired with stellar bass and drum work, only to deftly transition to a stripped back harmonic riff and vocal attack at the 1:34 mark. Then things get real serious at 2:42 when the blast beats and aggression come in to remind the listener that this is still extreme metal with dissonant leanings. Alienate is an album I’ve found myself returning to several times lately and is fiercely fighting to make its way onto a certain year end list of yearly favorites.
Teeth – The Will of Hate (August 30)
With the first two albums in this article, I gave you treats of dissonant past and present. Now I give unto thee the stankiest and gut-punchiest release for the near future. I of course speak of the highly anticipated (at least to me) full length album from the Los Angeles-based death metal powerhouse Teeth. Their first offering since their severely overlooked Finite EP from 2021, here is what can only be described as heaviness and brutality personified. Guitarist and vocalist Justin Moore perfectly encapsulates the album by stating:
The Will of Hate is about the overall loathing that comes fastened to the burden of consciousness and its overwhelming awareness. The toilsome obligation of mortality that follows that. The beginning and the end being understood making meaningless in between suffocating.
The Will of Hate is a daunting listen from beginning to end—music as a form of punishment as it constantly attempts to break you down, piece by piece. Fans of acts such as Altarage, Portal, and Desolate Shrine will find plenty to sink their teeth (hehe) into here. The available track “Prison” is perhaps the album’s most straightforward, but it doesn’t skimp on the heavy as its opening chugging riff is expanded upon with those crushing vocals and near-harmonious guitar leads. Just make sure your health insurance coverage is in good standing before clicking play.
