ALBUM REVIEW: The Vision – Disminded
You can’t really go wrong with an old-school death metal album. For all the sub-genres that have spun off from the original blueprint, there’s something remarkably satisfying about the neolithic original. There are a lot of great bands waving the flag in 2023, and Germany’s DISMINDED are the latest to start fighting for a place at the table.
Whether they’ll be able to catch up with the likes of UNDEATH and GATECREEPER remains to be seen, however that doesn’t take away from the fact that The Vision is a lot of fun. It’s a thoroughly uncomplicated throwback; brutally visceral and full of monstrous riffs, blast beats and lyrical references to pale horses with riders named death. It might not have much impact on the wider world, but there are going to be a few folks who’ll like this enough to keep smaller venues packed out.
Admittedly, The Vision will likely appeal to death metal purists only. The four-piece haven’t done anything to make CANNIBAL CORPSE look anxiously over their shoulders, and they do stick rigidly to a formula that was in place decades ago. But over the course of 44 tight minutes, they deliver enough violent shocks to the nervous system to make this a worthwhile listen. The Vision sounds low-budget and nasty, and if it came out in the mid-90s it would likely trigger a moral panic.
The likes of World War 3 and Unleash Hate are reassuringly familiar. They’re the songs you want playing on a smaller festival stage at four in the afternoon and when you’ve had enough beers to start circle pitting. Vocalist Kevin Lissowski growls like a walrus with a throat infection and the rhythm section propels things forward at a rapid pace, while a few surprising snippets of melody sneak into the guitar work.
And to be fair to these guys, they’ve got a couple of hooks up their tattered sleeves as well. Dead Water is nicely catchy, and Coro-Nation makes a highly enjoyable centrepiece. There’s a great guitar solo in The Cult, and while there’s no drastically progressive moments, there are just enough flashes to make DISMINDED memorable.
In other words, DISMINDED clearly love their chosen genre and are so metal, they probably bleed mercury. The Vision isn’t a four-course gala meal, but it is a greasy and deeply unhealthy kebab. If you’re a death metal puritan, you’ll love tucking into this for three-quarters of an hour.
Rating: 7/10
The Vision is out now via self-release.
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