ALBUM REVIEW: Dualism – Through The Noise
Offering up a combination of nu metal and hardcore, Swedish four-piece THROUGH THE NOISE enter their second full length album, Dualism. Boasting a mixture of emotionally stimulating, socially compelling and physically exhilarating songs, can this record deliver the power and impact of it’s two most influencing genres?
Shattered holds nothing back in it’s rapid paced, full in the face delivery. A grating vocal delivery over pummelling drums and a good pulse of tension in the strings makes for a fairly impactful start. Aside from pushing into the more thrash influenced side of hardcore, it falls into a few overdone tropes, such as the muted speakerphone spoken breakdown before the chorus. Psychomachia barrels into the very middle ground of nu metal and hardcore. The verse takes influence from SLIPKNOT and KORN, with a soft chorus to break the strain. The unusual mash of these two genres takes the fun and bounce of both well enough, while playing with what the dynamics of each can achieve.
House Of Asterion is a barmy song if ever there was one. Instantly, your head will be juddering through most of the verses, a manic pace is set by the with a sudden step into bellowing demonic hardcore breakdowns. There’s hardly a moment to catch yourself before being kicked right into the crazy movements of the nu metal influences, and while it’s fairly good fun, the constant shift in direction is hard to engage fully with. Digital Playground is where the album really hits its stride. A consistent beat evolves effortlessly into a motion that pulls you in and beats you with its easy groove and malevolent guitars. The level between bassy sound and the high-pressure treble is spot on, the lyrics are catchy and poignant and simple enough to not overload the meaning. There’s enough social and political angst to capture the interest of listeners, and enough beat and groove to make you want to stay.
The introduction of Secret Project has a tone all of its own, a haunting melody stargazing under the gravel of Jowl Nyberg. The balance of guitars from Victor Adnois and Markus Skantz, often thundering some great motions, all under the interesting drum fills from Peter Liwgren that really dominate this track. Over all this is that choral melody, almost sighed from the collective. It’s a balance that allows the direct impact of the lyrics and the more overpowering sounds to stand out. Deceiver falls into a pit dirty pleasure with the help of some tasty bass-lines from Martin Lingonblad. There’s an ever-harsher tone from the vocals, as they rattle and screech out. There’s something of the Scandinavian tendency towards black and folk metal under the thick groove, like a combination of TWELVE FOOT NINJA and TYR. Unfortunately, Maktbegär goes back to the standard tropes of beat and style in the hardcore direction, with some dramatic nu metal chorus to bring back in some variety. While the grunting bass-lines and small syncopations are decent in themselves, overall, it’s nothing new.
However, Meaning Through Noise turns everything up to twelve. The thrash side of their sound is unbeatable here, it’s utterly aggressive and a demonic smudge over the vocals adds a great texture. None stop, balls to the wall filth, this is hit you hard in the face like acid in the eye. The only moment of melancholy pause is the chorus, once again keeping the sung emotion intact through the gravelled screams. Finishing up the record, Beyond Betrayal is the amalgamation of all the things that work on this record. a honed focus through the verse, with the one intent to punish and reward the listener all at once through their sense of rhythm and groove, the sweet singing of a guitar soulfully twisting away it’s magic and the bass pummels down the darker energies at play.
To think about hardcore and nu metal in the same band is a mix you might not necessarily put together. However, both have a huge element to their sound being the very dark, overlaid with the bittersweet heartache and chest bared anger. Both favour dramatic breakdowns and catchy choruses, and in this instance, when THROUGH THE NOISE hit the mark it’s a pleasure to hear what they’ve produced on Dualism. While the name might be a commentary on the tropes that both set them apart and keep them contained within the realms of nu metal and hardcore, this record is a sure demonstration of THROUGH THE NOISE’s potential to put out music that is uplifting and yet haunting and aggressive at the same time.
Rating: 7/10
Dualism is set for release April 12th via Eclipse Records.
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