Band: Dissonant
Album: Burn – Copy – Distribute – Repeat
Genre: Metal
Label: Unsigned

Tracks:

1. Charles Bronson was Great in Deathwish 5
2. A God Who Wasn’t There
3. If It Bleeds it Leads
4. Sepulchral Terrors
5. Loathing
6. Old Skool
7. Power
8. 6 Feet of Solace
9. Marlboro Man
10. The Solution is Clear
11. To Recruit and Convert

We have danced all over the country [and soon to be world] with our Unsigned feature, but rarely have we focused on some of the talent from where UTG is based; Michigan. Thanks to our friend Alex [who is working with Prosthetic Records], we came across Grand Rapids, Michigan’s Dissonant. This metal band is based explained with a gunshot or video from a riot because words can not put together the wall of power these boys unleash on their new [free] album. Burn-Copy-Distribute-Repeat. Made up of five guys with a passion for music and the determination to succeeds no matter what, Dissonant was a more than obvious choice for our Spotlight and should be an instant addition to your record collection.
An excerpt from Tombstone welcomes us to the animal followed by the pulsing beats that make up, “Charles Bronson…” For an album that is intended to be distributed for free, the production is ace and that’s apparent from the get go when you’re greeted by seemingly dozens of layers of rock all perfectly fit together. The song is furious and fades out in a jumbled mess of strings and sound bites that somehow flow perfectly into the synth lead beginning of, “A God Who Wasn’t There.” Jake Farran’s vocals take a lead spot here and sound as if he’s taking every piece of them he can find and tearing them to shreds. The guitar work also takes some moments of spotlight here and shows a side that sets Dissonant apart in that not only do the guitars chug through songs, but they also make room for moments of solo work that’s really engaging. The guitars really take the spotlight on, “If It Bleeds it Leads,” while the drums shine on, “Sepulchral Terrors.” “Terrors,” has a furious intensity like nothing I’ve heard in a long time. It has the urgency of old school hardcore, but the technicality of the new era of the genre. Nothing here should be missed and it may take you a few listens to catch exactly what all goes on in the song, but it’s definitely worth every listen.
“Loathing,” continues the brutality of the previous track, but with more intricate guitar work. Farran’s vocals have many more levels here than on other tracks which is refreshing and keeps things from getting dull, but the constant bass drum work starts to wear here and I wondered what’s to come. Suddenly, “Old Skool,” almost like it knew what was bothering me, begins with acoustic guitars and a laid back softer rock feel. Then, just as you get relaxed, dissonant comes pummeling back with full intensity. technicality is key here as each instrument seems to be playing a lead part and it all meshes quite nicely. “Power,” goes by loud and fast, as does, “6 Feet of Solace,” but neither really did too much for me in the form of originality, but they are both quite heavy. I will say the singing part on, “Solace,” is quite refreshing though and adds another side to the band.
The final 3 tracks are lead by, “Marlboro Man,” which features a lot of banging on the drums and splits between spoken and screamed lyrics. However, in the eye of the mayhem storm that is Dissonant, it all sounds great. Not one part of this song isn’t brutal and it sets up, “The Solution is Clear,” amazingly well. “Solution,” which begins a bit relaxed with synth tones and excerpts from a film, becomes a gorgeous atmospheric track meant to allow you to relax and take in what has transpired up to this point. It’s still thick with layers of sound, but they work beautifully together to create a mood that sets this track far from the previous ones and make you get comfortable and take a few deep breathes. You’ll need this break because once, “To Recruit and Convert,” begins, you won’t want to stop moving for quite some time. This track is meant to leave you gasping for air on the dance floor and it does just that. It’s heavy and constructed with the greatest of skill. The guitar work here is ace and so are the bass tones [especially in the breakdown section]. This track perfectly summarizes what you’ve just heard on the previous ten tracks and leaves you with only one question: why aren’t these guys on a label yet?
To say Dissonant is heavy would be an understatement. This fusion of metal/hardcore/and straight up rock plays like titans clashing on a battlefield with nothing, but brutal strength and energy. Copy-Burn-Distribute-Repeat is the record those bored with the heavy music scene need to hear. There is not one moment when Dissonant don’t shake you and move you to your core. Each track plays wonderfully and though there is room for growth, there is no reason in our mind why these guys aren’t signed yet.

*Written By: James Shotwell*
GRADE: 8/10

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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