Subliminal Groove Records — home to a handful of favorite up and comers like Lorelei, Ascariasis, Slice the Cake, and Ovid’s Withering — is fast becoming a label to watch for forward-thinking underground metal. Their latest signing of one-man project Separatist is characteristic of the label in terms of niche and quality, but unique enough to be outstanding. Contrary to the name, Separatist exists in a world where brutal death metal, prog, black metal, tech death, and deathcore meld as one in the same. And yes, it absolutely works.
The relative unknown caught the attention of Subliminal Groove after two albums were dropped to Bandcamp for free simultaneously last month. Double albums are hard to pull off with aplomb, but both Closure and Motionless are early contenders for my personal Best of 2014 list. I know we’ve been saying that a lot lately — 2014 has been incredibly kind — but I calls em as I sees em. They’re seriously excellent records, full of oppressive brutality, flings with technically-minded groove, and progressive melodic flourish.
Check out the title track to Closure below.
Download Closure and Motionless for whatever you’re willing to give at Bandcamp.
– JR