Dread Persephone hail from Edinburgh and have been kicking about making a god-awful racket (the type we like) for a year or so. Depressurisation will be their second EP, and they’ll be showcasing it at a launch party at Macarts, Galashiels, on November 15th alongside Black Lesion and Killbolt.
So what do they have in store for you, musicwise? Depressurisation features four tracks, and the band’s style is eclectic to say the least. They bill themselves as “prog / metal/ core” and from what I’ve heard across these songs they very much like to mix it up. There isn’t a prog track and a metal track and… so on. There are four songs which bring aspects of them all together. They’ve definitely on the heavier end of the scale, though, with harsh shouty vocals between more relaxed prog breaks, while the metal threads hold it all together.
I’m not sure of the order of the songs, but we have “KYLL”, “Scapegoat”, “The Tower” and “Troubled Waters” all of which float between the 5 and 6 minute mark in length (more prog influence). Production isn’t bad, though a little tinny to my ears (mainly the cymbals here and there), but this does mean you get to hear every note including the bass tones. Where a lot of the independent EPs we get fall over is the vocals. Often we feel that the band are good and they’re great friends with the singer, but they need to get someone who can… well… sing. No such issues here with the words being sneared, spat or sung depending on whereabouts in what song we are. “The Tower” features some nice layered backing vocals to boot. Good show.
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Throughout, there are so many chops and changes, thrashy moment and breakdowns, riffs and drum rolls… but they’re well paced. Again, I’ve heard bands trying to cram too much into a short space, but with the generous song length Dread Persephone have time to play about.
The band wanted honest, and that’s fair. Is this earth-shattering? No. Is it good? Yes. Does it show promise? Tons. With just a bit of beef in the production this could be so much better, but it’s still streets ahead of some other stuff I’ve heard. The song writing is good in that there’s nothing too “showy-offy” so it’s accessible and non-pretentious. After a couple of listens, you’re really getting into it and there really is something for everyone (assuming you’re into prog, metal and/or ‘core).
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Depressurisation is out on November 15th
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