Postcore, postrock, postman, postcrete. What is all this post stuff? It is one genre prefix (should that be post fix?) that I don’t get. Post Core is how Memories of A Deadman are described . Not to be confused with Theory of a Deadman who were signed to (shudders) Chad Kroegers label.
There is not a lot of info about MOADM (sounds like a chewy sweet eh?) on the web and my French GCSE was a quarter of a century ago. They sing in English, however and definitely don’t look on the bright side of life. Their bleak brash songs are peppered with great riffs and melodies which help lift them above the current hordes of miserablists moping round the metal scene.
The band hailing from Mitry-Mory in Northern France describe themselves as “WE ARE ROCKER’s WHO PLAYS METAL in a HARDCORE BAND”. That frankly excites me more than any hipster genre –fixation.
On Ashes of Joy there are elements of Tool and Deftones as well as Isis and will appeal to fans of said bands. Opener Prelude (Solemn Requiem) spills it‘s Tool box over the studio floor but the vocals which are reminiscent of early Sepultura rescue it from becoming complete Maynard worship . Aurora has big drums. BIG DRUMS, and some spiffing riffs. The riffs continue on into “The fall of doG- Maelstrom Involution” which brings with it the heady whiff of early Fear Factory along with the proggy bits before a final breakdown that would not be out of place in a NYHC tuff guy track.
Melancholia appears to be a Ronseal track for the first 2 minutes of its existence. Limping and moping about with acoustic guitars and poncey bits. Luckily the noise gets brought and the industrial sound becomes more primal and Godflesh like .
“Touched with Pensiveness” has a bleak Sludge feel punctuated by soaring guitar lines and great use of female vocal which offers an ethereal edge to the greyness. Memories of a Deadman offer an aural canvas filled with many shades and blurred lines without a thick blunt edge in sight. The next track offers the memories of the deceased Native American as “Wounded Knee” joins other tracks in Metal’s repertoire that depict the destruction of the tribes of North America. Talk of rape, death and stolen lands permeate a riff heavy piece that will have many a head nodding.
La Nausee sees the band return to industrial with some great melodic hooks in the chorus (no clean singing though!) .This continues onto Draft of the Second.
Then a groovy riff drops like a baby bird onto concrete. “Going out with the Whore’s Saliva “ grabs me by the short and curlies and spins me right round baby right round. The guitars soar the riffs chug I am fnding ti hrd to typa as I am moving too mcuh . “The Fall of doG “ continues with Erase My Eyes before The Swan’s March brings Ashes of Joy to a close with an outpouring of heartbreak and lost love. Elements of gothic doom are evident here and will appeal to the fans of the usual suspects.
This is not an album for a summer barbecue – unless England have just been knocked out of the World Cup. [Which of course they have ED]
(7/10 Matt Mason)
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