ALBUM REVIEW: The Rhythm Method (reissue) – Subsist
Emerging from the depths of obscurity comes The Rhythm Method, the sole full-length studio album from mid-90s/early-00s mid-west metallic hardcore band SUBSIST. Whilst their existence was short, with members going on to form MINSK and DEAD TO FALL, their impact was significant in the mid-west American hardcore scene. Having shared the stage with the likes of COALESCE, CONVERGE, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN and CAVE IN amongst others, SUBSIST were fiercely loved and stubbornly hardworking, making them the unsung heroes of mid-90s/early-00s metallic hardcore. After the few remaining CD-R copies of the band’s swan song debut album were pressed into the hands of fans at shows, it seemed lost to the annals of time. Now, The Rhythm Method is newly remixed and remastered to give this seminal album the treatment and reverence that it deserves.
With the coming of age of a new generation of metallic hardcore bands reinvigorating the genre across the world, The Rhythm Method comes at an exciting time. Due to the increased influenced of late-90s and early-00s metal seeping into more experimental and industrial sounds, the technical proficiency of the elder statesmen in this case has stood the test of the time. The organised chaos offers up a hefty dose of raw power and visceral emotion. The thrashing and frantic nature of The Rhythm Method showcases the final bright fires of what could have possibly become a world conquering band. SUBSIST effortlessly slam elements together from metal and hardcore in a manner reminiscent of bands like SLIPKNOT and even DEFTONES from when they were in the early stages of their career.
With the new remix and remaster SUBSIST’s signature frenzied dissonance and destructive chugged riffs have been given a chance to truly shine. Whilst it is easy to get lost in the nostalgia of the album as you revisit your angsty youth, you also have to admire the more technical elements of this record. In the days where the integration of metal and hardcore was in its infancy, the genre became a breeding ground for new and innovative ideas to swing your fists and disrespect your surroundings to. While CONVERGE and THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN went down the more avant-garde route, SUBSIST find themselves in the sweet spot between COALESCE and CONVERGE. Utilising brutal hardcore breakdowns alongside chromatically melodic leads, The Rhythm Method overall is a crushing and merciless album, and in all honesty it is a crying shame that it hasn’t gone down in the annals of hardcore with a higher level of veneration.
Opening up the album and wasting no time in dashing the listeners skull with a perfectly placed roundhouse kick is PHIL 499, which is an all out hardcore thrasher. This sets the pace for the album, or so you’d think. Following on from PHIL 499 is the surprisingly atmospheric and eerie Sabbatical, which utilises DEFTONES-esque dynamics and melodies that will no doubt catch you off guard before launching into a cacophony of harmonised riffs. Glass Eye is equally frantic and melancholic, a track which also experiments with quieter more emotional sections and atmospheres. This is one of two tracks to feature clean vocals that aren’t spoken and it offers a nice turn of pace halfway through the album.
Infinite Study is a straightforward punk-fuelled rager. It’s under three minutes and gets straight to the point, very much a “see you in the pit” sort of song. Loss Of Life Foundation is the only song on the album carried forward from 1998’s Lessons In Brokenness EP; it’s doomy, sludgy and ominous with droning riffs. This track shifts up the momentum, lulling you into a false sense of security before launching into dissonance that is ultimately followed up by Adieu which is six minutes of groove-laden riffs and chugs. Album closer This Morning’s Contemplations finishes the record off and ultimately brings the end of SUBSIST with it.
Whilst SUBSIST were a flash in the pan during the late-90s and early-00s, a bit similar to the story of GULCH in 2021, their impact was great. With a fiercely loyal fanbase SUBSIST were loved passionately, so for fans old and new The Rhythm Method serves as a snapshot in time of a different world and where metal and hardcore fused together in the most violent manner.
Rating: 8/10
The Rhythm Method (reissue) is set for release on May 6th via self-release.
Like SUBSIST on Facebook.