ALBUM REVIEW: Revolutionist – Drip Fed Empire
The city of Bristol is a bustling hub of music, from the drum ‘n’ bass, house and electronica of the annual Love Saves The Day festival to the reggae and Caribbean vibes of St. Paul’s Carnival. Metal has its place too, and DRIP FED EMPIRE are a talent worth keeping an eye on. Combining nu-metal with industrial, samples and metalcore, the four-piece have been around in some form or other for almost eight years, but since 2021 have been on a red hot streak that’s seen them play Bloodstock, tour with the likes of HACKTIVIST, ELECTRIC CALLBOY and ATTILA among others and, as of Friday January 26th, finally have a debut album under their belt: the self-released Revolutionist.
Considering it wasn’t that long ago when DRIP FED EMPIRE were on an extended hiatus, to have hit a purple patch that’s seen their scope and presence increase immeasurably will have been as much of a relief as a welcoming sensation. It’s not likely to end any time soon, either, because Revolutionist sparkles with an abundance of potential. It’s not particularly long – coming in at just under half an hour – yet is full of bounce and swagger, stuffed with moments that bear the band’s influences clearly, but not in a parody or knock-off manner. The meaty riff that thunders along with the electronic underpinning in Give Me More is what made COMBICHRIST such household names and MK4 is a shimmering example of nu-metalcore, with bludgeoning verses and a chorus built around vocalist Jamie Fitzpatrick‘s mosh call of “Don’t rest / Fuck the rest!“; the pulsating beat that turns the second half into a miniature rave is a bit of a curveball, but it makes sense within the song’s context.
Perhaps the most interesting track, though, is systemreset; a dreamier soundscape laying the foundations behind a cool, computerised female voice bringing an individual back under the control of a mystery administration. Just as DREAM THEATER crafted an entire concept album as the response to 1992’s Metropolis – Pt 1: ‘The Miracle And The Sleeper’, so DRIP FED EMPIRE could take this one track and use it as the genesis for a future record centring around a futuristic, totalitarian state, where humanity is forced into line by the use of microchips. Whether that route is chosen or not remains to be seen, but it would be a shame if this three-and-a-half minute spoken word interlude didn’t spawn something much greater down the line.
It’s not a perfect release, either – Invaders, which closes the album, is turning into a great coda before a hanging guitar chord proves to be a false finish and the last minute or so is a fade-out breakdown; if that had been trimmed off, the impact would have been greater. Its predecessor Arcane, the second single, is solid enough with another decent Fitzpatrick vocal hook in “I AM GOING UNDER!”, yet the chorus structure sounds incredibly familiar and a bit too formulaic, which takes away from the weight of the lyrics being delivered; it’s an oft-found pitfall in metalcore, it must be said, but one that detracts more than benefits.
Revolutionist is a record that will take DRIP FED EMPIRE to the next level – there’s stuff on here for a wide range of fans, whether it’s the more industrial of FEAR FACTORY or RAMMSTEIN, the electronic heaviness of ENTER SHIKARI and THE PRODIGY or the heavy crossover of CROSSFAITH and BRING ME THE HORIZON. Yes, it’s still a bit rough around the edges, but this is a band with the nous and the talent to push musical boundaries in every direction and yet be resolutely themselves.
Rating: 7/10
Revolutionist is set for release on January 26th via self-release.
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