Dystrophic - Dystrophic [EP]

Dystrophic is a young technical death band that has huge potential. And they have done far more than demonstrate that potential by releasing their self-titled EP last year. If I could find a way to get my hands on a physical copy of this, I will. So please if any of you know where I can find this CD or can send it to me, please leave a comment! I want this record so bad! That’s how damn good it is and I suggest that you should listen to it and buy this hard-to-find EP. There are some extra unnecessary tracks in this album that I think should only be put in a full-length album, not an EP. But regardless, this record is more than enough to make a fan of extremely technical death metal happy.

Another reviewer on Spirit of Metal gave this album a fairly average score and wasn’t majorly impressed by it. I can understand why because he made it clear that really technical death isn’t really his cup of tea. I respect that because there’s no such thing as “good” music. Whether something is good or bad is 100% opinion. And my opinion is that Dystrophic is more than satisfying. Well I think I’ve done enough gushing over this band. You’re here to hear me go into this album’s details.

Dystrophic isn’t the kind of tech death band that has a lot of high-pitched complex lead guitar licks. Most of Dystrophic’s technicality and complexity lies within their drummer. Their drummer is pristine and obviously experienced in the metal music industry because he has the same skill and creativity as the drummer for The Faceless and Psycroptic. But don’t get the idea that the drummer is the only musician going crazy; the guitarists switch chords at unimaginable speeds in the lower down-tuned end of things.

The lyrical themes are obviously apocalyptic and space themed science fiction stories. The vocalist tends to focus more on the destruction of alien worlds and extraterrestrial apocalypses rather than focusing on stuff happening on Earth. This is something that I like to see because they’re expanding the sci-fi themes that more and more metal (primarily progressive and tech death) are choosing to use in their music.

I don’t feel that the interlude and the outro are needed at all. The intro is a bit dull but it has a quick build up at the very end that gets you ready for the explosion of chaos and fury in Total Existence Failure. Dystrophic then continues to constantly bombard you with unrelenting brutality and speed to then lead you into a relieving interlude…to then afterwards continue to bombard you until the end of the record. There’s one problem with their music. And that is that there’s no breaks in the fury, it’s just pure constant brutality and anger and it gets a little boring after listening to it for a while. Of course I have a level of understanding with them since this is their first official release and they’re still getting the hang of the songwriting business.

But as a critic, I’ve developed a habit of comparing every band with someone better. And even when I do that with Dystrophic, there are a lot of things about them that impress me. Believe it or not, this is a self-released album. The reason why this surprises some people is because of how professional the record’s production quality is. As a result of what this album has presented to me, I have become addicted to this band and will be the first person to buy a ticket to their concert and to pre-order their debut full-length release. I would give this record 17/20.