ALBUM REVIEW: Dyatlov – Jonestown

Back in 2016 when JONESTOWN dropped their brutally heavy debut record Aokigahara they helped prove that finesse can, in fact, translate over into pummelling aggression as well. Their expertly crafted assault refused to let up for the entirety of its run time and landed the band a great deal of high profile attention because of untold levels of anger the band held within their sound. Now JONESTOWN are back with a brand new batch of tainted kool-aid, this time in the form of Dyatlov, another hectic slice of controlled chaos.

Things kick off with a roundhouse attempt from Burn Victim as it’s clear LAMB OF GOD inspiration comes through in droves. The song swells and grows like a tropical storm whilst vocalist Harley Anderson delivers an even more confident performance than when he first introduced his roar to the world on Aokigahara. The band then begin to display their trademark stamina as things simply refuse to let up with the following Blunt Force Nihilist kicking the door fully off its hinges.

The clarity of the sound goes a long way to boost the impact of the record, every note is crystal clear and every instrument finds room in the mix to make a worthy contribution to the intimidating offensive. It also helps that Harley has such well-performed vocals that it’s possible for the lyrics to take centre stage, as he muses on life, death and the suffering in between. There are lines that stand out amongst the chaos and add to the nihility that is conjured by the maelstrom of guitar work and cavernous drums.

Because of the sheer unrelenting abuse that Dyatlov comes with, there is a warning sign in there too. This is an album for those willing to genuine go 45 minutes with a band that wants nothing more than to grind your eardrums to dust. It can get a bit one dimensional at times, but there are moments of reprieve like in the closing moments of Novae, or even in the more deliberate and structured title track, a song that goes more for the threat of violence rather than actually swinging for the fences like the brutal The Peoples Temples or The Scorpion and The Frog.

For a band that have named almost every piece of output after a location of questionable background, Dyatlov does prove that there is release and power in the face of adversity. There is a lot of joy to be found when a band are able to groove as heavily, and consistently, as JONESTOWN, and with thoughtful lyrics and a vocalist as clear and talented as Harley Anderson then it goes a long way to affirming just why JONESTOWN got the initial adoration. Now it’s time for them to bring this music to the stage and prove why they need to be on everyone’s radar.

Rating: 8/10

Dyatlov is out now via Long Branch Records. 

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