Dead Earth Politics
The Mobius Hammersmith
(Self-Release)
Texan thrash/groovers Dead Earth Politics have been releasing a constant stream of releases every year, which is definitely not a bad thing. Bands should never be encouraged to wait for full-length albums to release tracks, as The Queen Of Steel and Men Become Gods have more than enough tracks between the both of them to equal out to a full release. Both albums were steeped in the band’s “Lamb Of God meets Iced Earth with a little bit of Dream Theater thrown in for good measure” formula, but with this latest EP things have definitely taken a turn. There seems to be a little more of that rough-necked southern groove feel to the album, which I don’t seem to care as much for regardless of the fact that it shows the band assuming an identity that I feel is much more genuine. That identity seems to mix the southern groove bite along with the thrash and proggy touches, making for an act that really seems poised to make it to the top.
One of the very best observations that I can make regarding The Mobius Hammersmith is in its song construction, which seems to heavily thicken what might come off as rather bland numbers by other bands into what I could consider to be very deep and calculated compositions. The guitars speak for themselves on this record, which will appeal to people like myself; who somehow feel that the vocal end on this one might be lacking a little compared to other records. Even though it doesn’t quite sound like longtime frontman Ven Scott was feeling his oats here, we can always count on the fantasic fretwork of Tim Driscoll and Aaron Canady to save the day – and they seem to do far more than that. I can clearly recall the instrumental portions of latter cuts “Wretched Things” and the closer “Broad Wings & Distant Shores” in such a manner by which they almost feel magical, like something out of the fantasy world they’ve been illustrating with these discs for a few years now.
But with all this pounding, pummeling and thrashing we might as well say – we also have to keep in mind the drumwork of Mason Evans yet again. He’s definitely tearing his kit apart this time around, with what feels to me like a more mid-era Testament approach to the tracks which of course equals out to more of a southern groove/thrash than the much cleaner material that I remember the band unleashing a bit earlier in their career. There’s also something of a metal ballad here in “Balancing Broken Scales” which shows a side of Scott that I haven’t heard before. Despite a record full of what I feel is not quite his best work, there’s certainly something special about its hooky chorus that will appeal to a more mainstream audience.
That’s what I think Dead Earth Politics are trying to do with The Mobius Hammersmith, as it seems to appeal to a broader range of listeners and would possibly cause them to get signed to a major and make a little bit of money from the work and gigs. The record certainly does have enough of a mainstream feel to matter and seems to capture what I’d consider a modernized Testament with some Lamb Of God, yet still enough of that progressive sense to turn heads. While the band used to have more of an Iced Earth influence, it seems that they’re going for something a little grittier this time around which comes off a little bit different than you might expect. That being said, there’s definitely enough here in the soundscapes within these cuts to really turn the genre of thrash on it’s head. It’s a pretty solid EP release, but I’d definitely prefer Dead Earth Politics’ other two releases over it. It’s all just a matter of taste though, as people who might not have been able to get into these guys before might find a reason to check them out now. (The Grim Lord)
Purchase The Mobius Hammersmith here.
