Deathcore, like it or loathe it it’s surely here to stay. I have a divided opinion on the genre myself, is it good? I’m not sure. I know for a fact that there are some killer albums in the genre but I also know that a lot of it is cringe worthy and dull. I often have to ask the question too, what is the point? I mean really you could write full on Slam or you can crowd kill with a false sense of brutality, there is just no contest. On the other side of the coin though I can dig it quite a bit when it’s done well. The best way I can describe the genre, Death Metal for teenagers of the early 00s.

Now I was in the generation of the Deathcore boom and I was swept up in the likes of BMTH (please don’t kill me), Whitechapel and Suicide Silence. The latter two I would still listen to today. However, I also found Autopsy and Cannibal Corpse so I had a good balanced diet of brutality. Now comes the new age and one such band in that age are Distant from Rotterdam in the Netherlands. They’ve made a good name for themselves over the years, particularly with their debut full length Tyrannotophia from 2019. The album was released through Unique Leader a very strong label and thus brought the bands concept to a wider audience. This concept is that of the kingdom of Tyrannotophia, marketed as ‘A kingdom on the brink of falling with a new era about to begin. Escaping from the darkness, all of the wretched creatures are on a hunt for its crown.’ Sounds pretty Metal to me! How does the bands new EP Dawn Of Corruption add to this mix though?

Hull Of Crows opens proceedings, a big intro track with some crushing Deathcore instrumentation that is so oddly composed that I’m inclined to call it Tech, perhaps? Weird but very cool and certainly unique. The title track is the next to come onto the scene and could be said to be the first actual song if you will. There is no denying that this is Deathcore and the big chug-like riffs pummel and the vocals range from guttural to shrieks whilst always sounding decidedly ‘Hardcore’. I really enjoy the somewhat Symphonic portions too, again very different for this genre. These help the breakdowns from sounding stale as well, often breakdowns all sound the same and that’s not the case here. Hellmouth is a pretty similar affair with further crushing breakdowns, however it’s entertaining and I certainly get a sense of something different, the conceptual ideas are brought to life by the band’s experimentation of sorts.

Going into the second half of the EP we’re pretty aware of Distant and their delivery by now, so does it hold up? Well Oedipism would certainly dictate that our interest is upheld, another obscure Deathcore crusher that really shows that this genre can be more than just chug chug riffs. Temple Of Taglaroth adds to this, sure it isn’t overtly breathtaking in terms of skill and if you stripped it right back it would be generic but the additional ‘Symphonic’ elements and somewhat bizarre riffs make this EP an interesting listen at the very least. The EP then comes to a close with The Void which sort of mirrors Hull Of Crows with its shorter length and outro style. I like it and it’s better than an over the top instrumental for an EP like this.

This is what I would call Deathcore for grown ups, if you’re unsure how you feel about the genre then give Dawn Of Corruption a spins. It’s short so it won’t take up much of your time and it’ll show you that Deathcore can be really engaging. I like the concept idea and the overall experimentation throughout, it’s making the genre less ‘cool’ in the eyes of the mainstream and more lame and nerdy which is exactly how I want my music. Metal should be by outsiders for outsiders and that’s the kind of vibe I get from this EP, good job!

(8/10 George Caley)

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https://distantofficial.bandcamp.com/album/dawn-of-corruption