Bit of a ballsy move, following up your (admittedly very good) debut with a 77-minute whopper like this. Thing is, though, Dome Runner pull it off with aplomb, and while the prospect of being ground to paste by so much concrete, cogs ‘n’ rebar industrial metal might seem enervating there’s more than enough to keep you engaged for the duration.
Dome Runner, I think it’s fair to say, like Godflesh a lot. They share an ash-grey vision of the future that’s mechanised, industrialised and almost entirely devoid of hope. The riffing is pneumatic, the beats are metronome-precise and the vocals, whether roared or crooned, sound as though they are echoing down endless metal corridors, piped in from a distant control centre.
Despite the drudge and drear, it’s remarkably compelling. Slow shifts in tempo and timbre mean there’s always a sense of momentum rather than sheer unending repetition, and there are enough subtle demonstrations of self on display to ensure you don’t think they’ve been shat out by some automated system that repurposes spare parts from ‘Streetcleaner’ and ‘Selfless’. It’s hostile, cruelly inventive and impeccably crafted – perfect for fans of Godflesh, Author & Punisher, Scorn and early constructs by the likes of Pitchshifter and Fear Factory.