Another week, another excellent release from Willowtip Records, am I right? But seriously, the admittedly excellent label is only as excellent as the bands it signs and releases and, luckily, they seem to have a direct line to some sort of death metal lodestone. Fresh from this vein come Dormant Ordeal, a Polish blackened death metal band I can only describe as "fucking evil". I don't usually go for this kind of very robust, swagger filled death metal that is all about impact and weight but here, something just works. Maybe it's the extra speed granted to the band via their black metal edge or maybe it's just that Dormant Ordeal seem to always be in control, always meticulous in known how far they can let a certain riff or idea linger. Whatever the reason, the music ends up being deadly, which you can taste for yourself down below!
From opening riff, with gorgeous cymbal embellishing it, to closing note, "Horse Easter" is all about how to create maximum impact with minimum effort. Whether it's the aforementioned cymbals (I love their usage throughout the track), the groovy main riffs, or the haunting, blackened leads that play through out, the track seems to be made up of little gestures and economical compositions. But they all coalesce into something towering and energetic, a track I have been having difficulty shaking. It instills that ferocity that lies at the core of death metal, while allowing plenty of space for gentle and melancholic beauty in its edges.
This all comes to us from Tooth and Nail, out on April 18th via the illustrious Willowtip Records. Make sure you head on over here to pre-order it. It's a beast.