DUST (Receive The Frequency) CD
Since 1998, this German band is a guarantor for smudgy, super-heavy sludge rounded off with a proper dose of doom metal. Sadly, DUST is still relatively unknown despite the fact that they have released some good stuff over the last eleven years. 'Receive The Frequency' is the band's second self-financed full-length, released in 2008, and it should help to reach more people. Stuffed with brutally down-tuned riffs, ponderous grooves, and dehumanised vocals 'Receive The Frequency' is the soundtrack for your next shitty evening, when you're sick of life. This is authentic music, driven by anger and frustration, and played with passion. I could make a list of influences here like Saint Vitus, Grief or Entombed, but that would be a helpless attempt to describe this thick sonic wall. Sometimes DUST add some feedback and strong guitarwork to their songs including different dynamics so that there's a slight psychedelic nuance.
I always liked the band's keen sense for blues, and 'Receive The Frequency' is no turning away from that influence. The compositional quality of the included eight songs shows a significant progression with the exception of the uninspired sounding 'Once', but that's the only weak point here for me. The album opens with 'Only Few Remain', overrunning the listener like a bulldozer while the song is getting an additional boost through the extraordinary sledgehammer vocals of Olli Karic. DUST change down into considerably lower gears after that impressive start without losing their forceful impact, especially Olli Karic delivers maximum capacity. It's not that the other four guys play lame, but I wonder how he's able to create such monstrous vocals. 'High On You' is a good example for the blues when it's played by DUST and 'Lost Torso', the one and only instrumental song here, is a perfect, fulminant closing. This is the type of album that must be cranked up to ten for maximum enjoyment. Well done, guys!
(KK)