Labels: self released
Review by: Kunal Nandi
These utterly evil nutbars have a couple of demos out. The earlier “Toxacara” CDr blurs by in a rage of pinpoint grind guitars, psychotic drumming and gross eyeball-gouging artwork, whilst also having the good grace to come enhanced with some photos, lyrical explanations and, most excitingly, a 15-minute video of one of their gigs, where you can see that awesome musicianship on display, especially with the drumming. Smith (who also plays for the equally deadly Executive Distraction Tasks) could well be the UK’s counterpart to Dave (Discordance Axis, Melt Banana, Anodyne, Burnt By The Sun, Municipal Waste) Witte. The guy is totally on point. So far, so fucking great!
The second demo however, is a work of unfettered genius. In the space of a mere 200 seconds, Reth alchemise tech-metal and grind into pure musical gold. They are of course, unremitting and harsh, yet somehow also maintain a pincer-grip on melody at all times that makes it addictive, encouraging you to spin it again and again until you learn all those tricks and turns. They have also learned the lesson passed down from bands like Pig Destroyer, Narcosis and Triac that if you chuck in the odd let-up, maybe a melodic flourish or a sudden, crushing, stoner section, it makes those all-out attacks all the more fearsome. Second track “Sowing the Poisoned Hubris” is especially good, slamming lightspeed riffs immediately into Melvins-styled passages shortly before sideswiping you with more speed-metal joyousness. And that’s just the first ten seconds.
And this is a demo? And this band is British!?!? Why the hell was I not informed!? More please!