In Dante’s Inferno, the second circle begins the proper punishment of Hell, a place where “no thing gleams.” It is reserved for those overcome with Lust, where carnal appetites hold sway over reason. In Nine Circles, it’s where we do shorter reviews of new albums that share a common theme.
Two interesting promos from Fiadh Productions, rapidly becoming one of my favorite labels going, one categorized as “blackened screamo” and one as “d-beat rock n’ roll.” How is a boy to choose just one? Turns out, I don’t have to! That’s where this particular double-feature format comes in so handy: I get two reviews for the price of one, and boy am I glad I didn’t have to do a Sophie’s Choice this week.
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Minneapolis, MN’s Eudaemon is up first, the blackened screamo portion of our doubleheader. Spiritual Anguish is the proper debut of the quartet, whose influences range from Krallice and Deafheaven to Gojira and Killswitch engage to On the Might of Princes and City of Caterpillar. Eclectic? Yes, but they do have a sound that stands out from the crowd, blending into an almost Agriculture-type ecstasy when the shoegaze and emo meets the blast beats. Lyrically, Spiritual Anguish touches on the processing of negative emotions as a shout into the void and a way towards catharsis, which should be familiar to fans of both genres that combine to form Eudaemon. There are plenty of tricks up their musical sleeves though, if you think you know what you’re getting already. Melody is the name of the game here, and that intersection between the clean guitar and vocal, more emo passages and the outright aggression of black metal is the sweet spot that makes Spiritual Anguish a compelling listen.
As I was blasting this album in the basement, Angela came down to do some laundry and took a detour to figure out what I was listening to, so there’s two seals of approval from our household right there. “Karst” kicks off Spiritual Anguish with a bang, effectively blending the two styles into something that is greater than the sum of its parts, with strong hooks and an incredibly rousing sense of emotion and dynamics. It’s a really nice example of how Eudaemon take both black metal and screamo’s penchant for lush, open chords and thick walls of sound and make them memorable and hooky. Similarly, “Empty Hallways” blends dissonance with melody in a way that makes both feel like they pop in the mix, and “Silt” brings the Deafheaven vibes to the forefront in a more pointed attack. It’s the nearly thirteen minute closer “In Mirrors,” though, that seems like the focal point for the whole album, blending gorgeous, dreamy passages with an almost Interpol-like indie rock flair. I knew I was in for a treat when I picked this album to review, but Spiritual Anguish far exceeded my expectations right out of the gate.
Spiritual Anguish is available now on Fiadh Productions. For more information on Eudaemon, visit their Facebook page.
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Next on the docket, we have some good old fashioned Tijuana d-beat rock n’ roll from Animals Revenge, with a reissue (I think? There’s not a ton of info about this one) of the band’s 2019 debut EP Temporada de Homínidos. Going the traditional route of all pseudonyms, the quartet play a blistering and downright electrifying brand of d-beat meets classic Motörhead that is the perfect accompaniment to the impending summer days of driving a little too fast with the windows down and the music blaring. Information on this project is scarce, and my Spanish is rusty at best, but I’m gleaning that they focus on animal and environmental protection, which I am all for. It seems like they only have splits and EPs to their name, but a reissue on Fiadh certainly means more is on the way.
One could accuse Animals Revenge as being followers of a formula, but I would argue that when that formula is as good as it is, sometimes following it is okay. Plus, the music is hilariously righteous in a very 80’s proto-thrash sort of way, back when the term “crossover” meant something. Temporada de Homínidos is five tracks that doesn’t even clock in at fifteen minutes, but the short run time just means there’s more room for repeat listens. “Cantiverio” makes a strong case for itself as a standout track from the first seconds of the EP with a big, fun, rousing blast of rock n’ roll and hardcore punk energy. My favorite happens to be “Rey de los Mares,” which features dueling vocals between guitarist Oso and drummer “Fonix” over an unhinged set of thrashy riffs. This EP is great fun, and if you haven’t checked it out already, make sure you do now, because I am hoping big things are coming down the pipeline.
Temporada de Homínidos is available now on Fiadh Productions. For more information on Animals Revenge, visit their Facebook page.
— Ian
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