DIMESLAND – Psychogenic Atrophy
- Posted on 26-02-2015
Abstract metal – a veritable kitchen sink approach to construction, performance, and outlook – is not an easy style to accept. Patience is a must, allowing the songwriting to sink in multiple times and probably in a multitude of ways. Hailing from Oakland, California – Dimesland is a quartet that on "Psychogenic Atrophy" deliver 8 cuts of mind-altering fusion oriented insanity on a Gorguts meets Voivod level. Even parts of Confessor factor in during the slower sections of "Institutional Gears", the four-piece shifting from standard to upper pedals in a nanosecond. Dimesland has to be good at math and science, because the tightness and chemistry here is second to none, and it is dizzying the number of parts and changes that take place.
Sludgy when necessary, chaotic and unhinged when called for, drummer/vocalist Harland Burkhart and bassist/vocalist Greg Brace have their work cut out for them to keep up with the guitar styles of Nolan and Drew Cook. "Xenolith" at 8:43 is the longest arrangement, starting off very noisy and slow but quickly building into these progressive, jagged chord progressions, adding exotic trills and bells/ whispering sound effects for more layers of aural candy so to speak. The band weaves this material together in a live setting and I can almost imagine the sonic explosions that take place in people’s minds as they take all this information in.
Smartly keeping the album at 39 minutes, "Psychogenic Atrophy" will be one of those unsung albums people pull out from the archives as a game changer, because at this point I would imagine Dimesland struggles to be fully understood by the average metal fan. Open minds and open hearts will savor this.