Typecast,not exactly a word heard often within the metal community. Though it’s feeling is omnipresent. From names to entire genres, we can see that bands that come with the grindcore connotation are meant to heard as loud, abrasive and dangerous. Releasing their Metal Blade debut, Theories though they might be seen as “just another grind band” are so much more.
Regression the band’s debut album blisters past with the 29 minute run time beating even the 80’s classic Reign In Blood to the post. The band might be unfairly pigeonholed in the extreme metal category but their amorphous sound is as ugly as it gets. From the dissonant fade out of “Shame” to the anvil like breakdown that would cause serious casualties in pits the world over in the final minute of “First Worlds Last Breath“. The sheer amount of energy is palpable from the off the demented howlings of frontman Rick Powell are insatiable. The degenerate reach of the singers lyrics latch on throughout the song dragging the listener through the proverbial mud. Whilst the remorseless batterings of drummer Joe Axler couple the idea of desolation perfectly.
From topics such as natural disaster to the slow decay of the countries that we live in the lyrical content is just as visceral as the mirrored musicality. “Cycle Of Decay” showcases some of the more death metal oriented musings of the band, whilst also introducing a foreign concept to grind. Melody. Employed perfectly using the exact amount needed whilst not over saturating for the sake of it. As the album progresses we see are more experimental areas coming to light, the Gorguts worshipping “Swimming In Mud” to the four minute long (the equivalent to a Prog epic in grind terms) “Hell In Her Eyes“. A clear example that the band might lean towards the grind inclinations the most there are so many more elements oozing out of the decaying tracks.
Though the aggression that is felt throughout grindcore is present with the band there is a sense of melancholic beauty. Akin to the gods Pig Destroyer, though not quite at their level as of yet! The sense of poetic depravity is most certainly being unearthed on this their first full length. The entire experience is over just as quickly as it started making for it to be listened to continually. The final spit in the face of “Landfill” sends the album off nicely showcasing each of the various elements that the band employ that separate them from their peers.
There may well be a plethora of synonyms to describe a metal band. With Theories however the band produce their all out assault beautifully, the equivalent of a deranged haiku of entropy. The band are refreshing take on a genre that is often dominated by generic outbursts of aggresion. The picture Theories paints may contain a thousand words but typecast is certainly not one of them.
If you liked what you read/heard then you can order Theories’ brand new album Regression here!
