Artist: Cosmic Dyscrasia
Album: MMXXIX
Label: Independent
Release Date: 27/08/2021
Location: Gqeberha, South Africa
As a South African expat, I have to say that Cosmic Dyscrasia (Christopher Paterson) has done the country proud with MMXXIX. The album is an absolutely fantastic offering of old school death metal and when you realise that everything on the album is done by one person it makes the while thing that much more amazing.
I said that the album was OSDM and for the most part it is, but there are definitely some progressive elements thrown into the mix here. The last two tracks on the album are testament to this fact. These are moving instrumental tracks that bring the album to a perfect close. The first is an acoustic infused piece with sound bites layered in. However, the closer is an offering of instrumental technicality showing just how progressive this death metal release can get.
Guitar wise, Chris knows how to write a killer riff and demonstrates this fact in an unrelenting fashion throughout the album. Honestly this release is chocked full of mind billowingly catchy yet simultaneously filthy guitar work. There’s a perfect level of technicality worked in throughout without approaching tech death territory. You’ll also find some clean segments with stunning, atmosphere inducting riffs. At times you’ll find some Opeth inspired proggy riffage, such as on track 3 MMXXIX, but this generally gives way to filthy, crunchy riffage after a while. Overall, this mixture of varied guitar work is one of the most powerful elements on the album.
Drum wise the drum programming works well and doesn’t feel too machine-like. Honestly, it’s really there to support the guitar work which is the true star of this album.
Vocal wise Chris kills it, giving us some truly old school sounding death metal vocals. They’re guttural in nature but remain understandable if you really focus on them. They have a somewhat cavernous, faded, echoed effect applied to them that makes them sound a little more menacing and adds some additional atmosphere to the mix.
As far as favourite songs go I have to give massive props to track 4 Human Drug Dust for containing some of the catchiest, most headbangable riffs I’ve heard in some time. I think I listened to this song at least three times in a row minimum. Subterranean Terror is also one hell of a track and kicks off the album with a bang. The closing track Those Left Behind really ends things with a bang and as stated earlier showcases Chris’s guitar prowess.
Overall this is one hell of a death metal release and one that I’m proud to say originates from my home country. I’m sad that I missed this when it first came out but as they say, better late than never. So, I beseech thee, learn from my mistake and don’t sleep on one of the best albums I’ve heard come out of South Africa in some time.
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