Achilles/Engineer "Split" 2xCD
[Hex]
Whoa, I'm not sure I've ever come across a split where each band gets their own disc!? It seems an odd choice in this case since each disc is short as hell, with the total running time of both CD's combined equal to the average length of one CD EP (a little over 25 minutes), but it definitely makes the release stand out, that's for sure. I'd almost rather have the stuff on one CD since both bands are damn solid, but whatever. First up is Achilles with five quick tracks of their caustic brand of metalcore that's definitely stronger than most acts out there of this nature. Expect hoarse screaming vocals, lots of quirky rhythmic shifts and dissonant chords, pulsing basslines and churning power chords as well as stuttered lead runs and winding note combinations, thickly discordant post-hardcore textures or more restrained indie influences, etc. Among my favorites, "The Ritual II" is a slick instrumental using clean guitars that have a lush indie rock thing happening - providing a nice shift in dynamics that could prove very promising in the future. This leads into the longer and more diverse "Save Nothing", which effectively blend's the band's range of styles quite nicely, from straightforward chunkiness and Black Flag noisiness to sinister metallic dissonance and indie melodic sensibilities/vocal variation. It's nothing I'd call original per se (despite drawing from a slightly larger than average pool of influences), but the playing is tight as shit, the songwriting is incredibly efficient, and they have a rock solid recording. The drums are natural and possess a crisp snap, the bass is lightly distorted and pounds away right alongside the percussion, and the guitars are very focal with just the right amount of bite to the distortion - keeping things harnessed but still acerbic enough to leave a mark. I also like how the vocals are mixed in against the guitars, so the end result is clear but totally cohesive. The rather brief lyrics have a stream of consciousness flow and are sort of abstract, which works just fine for me. "To burn out screaming past fixated on the crash instructions were thrown out long ago this course is dialed don't let this pass bye dialed in." Engineer follows and begins with a bleak intro called "Evacuating", using just clean guitars and distant vocal chants before plowing into the much more metallic and aggressive "The Great Mistake". Their approach isn't terribly far removed from that of Achilles as far as song structures and texture are concerned, but the overall vibe is certainly far heavier and more metallic with this stuff. The vocals are deeper shouts with lots of backing yells, the playing is chunkier and has more of a consistently pulsing rhythmic attack, and so on. There's still plenty of dissonance though, with quick shifts between riffs and a controlled yet frantic air about the work. "Televascular" is the longest track at just over four minutes, offering up a greater number of tempo changes with some really slow and punishing chord progressions that build into an avalanche of swirling noise textures and drones; while the instrumental "Decades" follows with an odd clean guitar delivery that has a totally different feel from the other material - blending jangly indie rock with the bleaker metal side of things. Overall this stuff definitely has more in common with Hydra Head acts like Knut though (check out "Covered and Calloused" especially), and I'm all for that! The production's not bad either. It's a little dry and could use more of a rounded low-end with brighter highs, but it's very easy to listen to as is. The midrange in the guitar tone keeps things from sounding too over the top, lending a dirtier texture that lets a lot of awesome dissonant melody seep in, the vocals sound great, etc. I wish the bass had more of a role in adding to the low-end spectrum since the drums are a little lacking in that department as well, and it'd be nice to really have that pounding rhythm section in place, but it's no big deal. Like Achilles, the lyrics here are also succinct and have a nice flow, though the messages are obviously a little more pointed here, without getting blunt. "We paved over all the oceans. Freshwater core with concrete shell. Structural battlefields. No time for rest in this cluttered mess, so send rescue soon. We won't escape, evacuate. Somebody pull the plug out." The discs come in a sweet looking matte gatefold digipack sleeve with each disc and insert given their own half. The artwork depicts businessmen's torsos with colorful bursts shooting out of their necks, and each insert is a small xerox on matte cream colored stock, with band photos, lyrics, and credits on the fronts and backs of each. So everything looks totally consistent despite giving each group their own half of the packaging from a spatial standpoint. This is a very cool split. Both bands hit hard and move right along with no bullshit, and I'll be looking forward to hearing more from each act. Fans of the style should absolutely check this out, as both of these bands are dead on with the quality of their approaches. (7/10)
Running time - 26:22, Tracks: 11
[Notable tracks: The Ritual II, Save Nothing, Televascular, Decades]
Hex Records - http://www.hanginghex.com

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