Psychogenic Atrophy, the first full-length from Oakland’s Dimesland, is jagged and chaotic, yet surprisingly controlled. The band’s already shown the ability to quickly take a song from zero to one hundred throughout their career, and here they not only expand on that but up the ante through juxtaposed tracks and drastic tempo shifts. The precision in the band’s playing is what makes their forward thinking and unpredictable approach in this debut such a success.

First released digitally late last year, Psychogenic Atrophy is, in a word, intense. Blunt force riffs and the downright savage tempo changes in “Are They Cannibals?” sets a powerful tone early on. The twin, warp-speed guitars create a vice-like tension that rarely gives any release. One of many successful qualities the band showcases early on is in their ability to go in multiple directions at a seconds notice yet still maintain complete control. While there are plenty of aggressive compositions throughout, they never once sound haphazardly thrown together.

The nearly-nine–minute behemoth, “Xenolith,” is a road map of abstract, cold and mechanical sounds that surround the listener with a suffocating atmosphere. As this atmosphere settles in, the band strikes hard with heavy bursts and amazing drum work (particularly at the 4:25 mark). Quiet space at the end of the track lures the listener into a false sense of security, only to be split wide open in the violent transition into “That Cold Moment.”

Even though the album can be a tough nut to crack, composition-wise, it’s not all angular and dissonant. The latter third flat out rocks and the vocal performances have an overall looser feel than previously heard in the album. The tension fades somewhat, allowing an opportunity to get cozy with the jams instead of trying to solve their mysteries. (Though that’s not to say that there aren’t still some left to solve.)

Psychogenic Atrophy is as much of a treat to try to figure out as it is to return to multiple times. The many complexities and nuances don’t immediately surface, it’s only with time and patience that they bloom. Overall, it’s an extremely satisfying debut from Dimesland that just gets better and better with each run through.

-Josh

Psychogenic Atrophy will be available on CD format November 20 on Crucial Blast. For more information on Dimesland visit their Facebook page.