2024 sees the birth of a new wave of unconventional and pulsating Death Metal courtesy of Montreal’s very own Dissimulator. ‘Lower Form Resistance’ is seven slabs of intricate and complex pulsating Death Metal which is reminiscent of a hybrid which has potentially drawn influences from Fear Factory for the fresh sounding and future vision and Decapitated for the brutal pounding and mauling you receive from the core base of pummelling Death Metal.

The album isn’t short of surprises and just as you feel like you are acclimatising and becoming expectant of the direction it is taking a massive curve ball gets launched into the game and you are pretty much knocked off your pins by the elaborate and bizarre ingredients they have thrown into the mix, almost verging on electric and galvanising with the tones and sounds that are now being baked.

The vocals are rampant and robust, guttural at times whilst still being free enough to roam around the tracks injecting their own style into the mix while still being able to maintain a sense of normality with the traditional death metal style growls and roars. The string work is sophisticated and elaborate, entwining their wares around the chunkier thicker strings and the beats from the kit sat in the very depths of the beast, all working together to formulate a strategy which involved embarking on and delivering a brand of sci fi death and thrash which will be fairly fresh to most of the landscape of listeners.

The very essence of the album and the style which has been distilled and served to us will very much divide the room, there will be those that absolutely adore the new style which they have been served up while others will find the eccentricity of the album too far removed from their usual repertoire and preferred genre. I was personally undecided; I found the seven tracks gave me just enough to be able to process and digest the extra unusual elements while I did find myself towards the end of the album becoming a little annoyed and frustrated by the unfamiliar territory I found my path treading.

If I was pushed for an answer though, I really would have to declare that unfortunately it really isn’t to my personal tastes and just a little too eccentric for me.

(6/10 Phil Pountney)

https://www.facebook.com/dissimulatorofficial

https://20buckspin.bandcamp.com/album/lower-form-resistance