Dissolve – “Until the Drugs Wear Off”
Album Reviews | Jul 20th, 2020
Genre: Metal/Metalcore
Record Label: Maitsuba
Link: www.maitsuba.com/categories/dissolve
Dissolve is a band with over 20 years in the game of making crushing sound out of the Hudson Valley scene. With the exception of a guitarist, it’s pretty much been the same lineup for the last 20 years. If for some reason you’ve never experienced them before, Dissolve hails from a time in the mid to late 90s when metal got experimental an innovative with bands like Botch, Coalesce, Candiria and more pushing the boundaries with what they could do. But while their contemporaries had some national attention; an ill-fated deal with the soon to be out of business M.I.A records stole most of the band’s thunder as it sat on the since released ‘Caveman of the Future’ album.
Drowningman may have coined the term ‘thinking man’s metal” but Dissolve certainly falls under that umbrella. Coming elements of a Mr. Bungle influence with a heavy grind of death/slam metal it’s only accented by their eccentric vocalist Paul Thorstenson. While the band have existed for 20+ years listening to this you wouldn’t know the band has been around that long, the album sounds like it could literally fit into any time period throughout their existence. “Off the wall” and “out there” could easily describe where this album goes stylistically. Not sure if this is what they were going for, but parts of this record like “Christmas in the Emergency Room” sound down right fun thanks to Paul’s delivery. Not to be ignored the guitars follow a strict abstract approach with a ton of off centered chords while the bass accents them, layered with some almost jazz like fills from the drums.
Bottom line: If you miss the old days in the 90s of experimental metalcore this will more than wet your nostalgia whistle; all while confirming these guys not only still got it, they never lost it.
Notable Tracks: Spider Squardron, Redneck Decimator, Christmas in the Emergency Room
Overall Rating:
