EP REVIEW: Downward Mechanic – Stengah
Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right? Well, yes, but not if the homework you’re copying is upside down and you’ve got your eyes shut. Unfortunately, that’s how STENGAH’s Downward Mechanic EP feels. A direct extension of their 2022 debut, Soma Sema, the band somehow fail to emulate the weaker elements of better bands like GOJIRA, TRIVIUM, and even HUMANITY’S LAST BREATH. Simply put, it’s like standing atop the shoulders of giants and facing the wrong way. This Downward Mechanic still has a few tricks to repair the damage, but sadly you’ll need to be a die-hard fan to see anything beyond a write-off.
Having been birthed from the same recording sessions as Soma Sema, the EP was sadly doomed to fail from its first breath, given that the band’s debut tripped over the same hurdles just last year. With that said, why have STENGAH been unable to put their best foot forward? The root of the issue lies within the project’s dynamics, or lack thereof. Nicolas Queste’s vocals, in particular, become a painfully sore thumb across this rather concise collection of beatdowns and riffery. While Queste’s cleans are well-balanced and nuanced, they’re seldom used and he spends most tracks stuck in a mid-scream mire, devoid of anything truly unique or engaging. The incessant trudge of the vocals kills any sense of momentum, and any real chance of achieving serious replay value.
The riff-writing also delivers a similar dose of tedium. What are obviously intended to be the song’s most abrasive, most neck-tearing moments, are spoilt by a handful of variations of the same forgettable chugs. A few pinches and squeals are added in ode to the aforementioned GOJIRA and TRIVIUM, but what might be intended as an admirable tribute sounds closer to mockery.
While, yes, Downward Mechanic is almost a test of patience in most cases, it is not totally without merit. It may be the polish on the turd but project’s production is a stellar bit of work. The full-frontal approach keeps every track at 110%, making it hard to fight the primal urge to bang your head, even if it doesn’t quite warrant it. Moments elsewhere, like on Reign Of An Apocryph or closer Inner Space, see STENGAH dig deep and descend into the atmospheric side of deathcore. It doesn’t overhaul the band’s sound but it does give a fresh lick of paint to the tired visage of an EP that could have been an ‘extended edition’ of its forebear.
Considering Downward Mechanic is a direct sequel to Soma Sema, expecting any sort of vast improvement is a fool’s errand. At its best, it’s a salvageable wreck, a launch pad for something better and, with any luck, that something won’t be far ahead.
Rating: 5/10
Downward Mechanic is out now via Mascot Records.
Like STENGAH on Facebook.