“‘CAUSE I AM NOW THE TONGUE THAT WILL CONTROL YOUR SPEECH!”
Everyone and their mother is aware of the revival movement that’s been transpiring for quite some time now. It’s back to the basics for many emerging bands, and we are sure as fuck soaking in every blood-stained second of it. Sampling, slam hooks, pinch harmonics, and garage production have returned like they never left. Now, what if some acts were willing to take an emboldened risk and integrate a sprinkle of external elements into their sound? It would have to be rather calculated to be effective. Rely on contemporary ideals too much, and the spirit of grassroots deathcore is rendered moot. Sparingly include outside facets only for the sake of being different, and there’s hardly any uniqueness at play. Enter Bristol’s latest slamming deathcore outfit, Entropic Rot. With all the essential Myspace era works backed by tasteful present-day set pieces, atmospheric deathcore may have just found its next band of model practitioners. On their debut album, … And Euphoria for the Hellish, Entropic Rot showcase all the characteristics of a group with an undying hunger to assert their place in the underground music scene, yet could very well be leagues ahead of their constituents.
While melodics and ambient layering tend to be taboo in revival core, … And Euphoria for the Hellish takes an effectual approach to incorporating these aspects into an otherwise crushing string of tracks. The cleans and light instrumental work at the bridge of “Dressed in Red” will surprise many, but as these anomalous features thematically align with the tragic subject matter of the album, it coagulates seamlessly between the heavier junctures. In tandem with the fact that this confluence of differential material amplifies the weight of Entropic Rot’s delivery rather than completely sideswiping its momentum like much of deathcore is habitually guilty of, it’s promising to hear from a band that is making its initial entrance into an ever-saturating genre. The melancholic reprieve, “Reflections”, is equally impressive.
Healthily utilized nuance aside, practically every second of … And Euphoria for the Hellish is brooding, molten sonic syrup. The string work of Matt Dobroczynski, Sam Linnell, and Dario Petraczek, combined with Jamie Hardwick’s crisp percussion, is particularly worthy of immense praise in this regard. Slam, deathcore, and even hardcore sensibilities are all present and accounted for. Atop all of this, vocalist Alex Dorrington exhibits an impeccable range spanning Vincent Bennett-like highs to rusted garbage disposal lows. Much like the moniker of “Chewing on Wasps”, … And Euphoria for the Hellish delightfully feels akin to consuming a poison-dipped hornets’ nest.
While … And Euphoria for the Hellish has all the ingredients of a slamcore composition, it often plays like a hardcore record. Two-step worthy chugs and rocket launcher blast beats cycling through orderly transitions are scattered from front to back. Assuming this was most likely intentional, Entropic Rot have managed to craft an auditory melting pot that takes the strongest components of its inspirational backdrops and cobbles them into a true Pandora’s Box. “Eclipse”, “Force Fed”, “Blood Light”, and “Her Eyes” are diverse outings with more than enough cross-sectional punch to rival genre-based singularity. Ask yourself what exactly Entropic Rot are, and you’ll land on several entities. Many acts spend their entire careers trying to figure out exactly what they are, but Entropic Rot, through a fractal meshing of sound, leave no doubts: themselves and no one else.
Entropic Rot may only just be getting their feet wet, but they have already ascertained distinctive attributes. At the crossroads of hardcore, slam, deathcore, and atmospheric melody, … And Euphoria for the Hellish is a haunting reverb of Shakespearean tragedy that pulls you in and refuses to let go, conclusion notwithstanding. The ashen sky is truly the limit for Entropic Rot with a bit more maturation and attention to detail. Whatever the case, this year insists on continuing to be provisionally kind to us all, and Entropic Rot is the newest addition to that offering.
8/10
… And Euphoria for the Hellish independently releases on September 5th and can be pre-ordered here.