Friday 29 May 2020

DIZYGOTE - Freedom, Incorporated (Album Review)


Release date: June 2020. Label: Farmadelica Sound. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Freedom, Incorporated – Tracklisting

Toenail Betrayal Blues
In Circles
A Dirge
Blood Tide
Children Of Talos
Melancholia
Narcissus En Lexus (The Collector)
The Black Veiled Bride

Members

Ned DuRant - guitars/vocals
Ethan DuRant - drums

Review

DIZYGOTE are a Hard Rock Band made up of a Father and Son duo with Ned on Guitars/Vocals and his son Ethan on drum duties. DIZYGOTE are primarily a Grunge/Sludge/Stoner Metal band though the band fuse many different styles of music on their debut album – Freedom, Incorporated. With the band adding elements of Doom Metal, Psychedelic Rock, Punk Rock and Classic Rock.

The band feel influenced by the legendary sounds of 80s/90s Grunge but with the ferocious grooves of The Melvins and High On Fire when the album becomes particularly heavy when you least expect it. Helping DIZYGOTE on this mission is Grunge Legend – Jack Endino (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Windhand, High on Fire) – who mixed and mastered their debut album. So that should tell you how seriously good this band actually is.

I never heard of this band before but I was majorly surprised by the hidden depth and creative talent Ned and Ethan bring to this album. If you dig bands such as Soundgarden, The Melvins, Eagle Twin and High On Fire then this is the perfect place to be.

The album contains 8 slabs of heavy rock that move effortlessly between the different sounds the band bring to this album with a Progressive Rock/Metal attitude to it all. One of the main strengths is Ethan on drums who puts in a powerhouse performance on this album. It’s hard to believe that Ethan is only 15 years old. His drumming is brilliant and thrilling throughout the album. We could be seeing a future star in the making here. As he’s seriously that good.

Ned brings a world-weary sensibility to Freedom, Incorporated with heavy sludgy guitars and with his classic Grunge sounding vocals leading the way. The album does have a Punk Rock feel to it all but that’s a good thing as WHAT YOU HEAR is WHAT YOU GET with DIZYGOTE. Good old fashioned Rock and Roll with a true rebellious spirit.

The album opens with the excellent Toenail Betrayal Blues that lasts for 8 minutes and perfectly sets up the scene in what is to follow with sludgy grooves with traces of Grunge, Doom and Stoner Metal for a bleak sounding atmosphere. The Eagle Twin and High On Fire vibe is quite strong here but DIZYGOTE allow do create their own style of music on this song and it only gets better from here on in.

DIZYGOTE let fly with 7 more songs that expand their distinctive hybrid style of Sludge, Grunge, Doom and Stoner Metal whilst retaining an adventurous spirit that is equally powerful and addictive.

Other good songs to check out are: in Circles, A Dirge, Children Of The Talos and The Black Veiled Bride.

About five of the songs run past the 7 minute mark so expect a lot of different parts where DIZYGOTE experiment with their sound but still offer genuine thrilling moments of HEAVY LOUD ROCK MUSIC that will leave you wanting more.

A couple of songs do run out of steam in places but I couldn’t help admire by the whole experience of Freedom, Incorporated. As this is a wonderfully bleak album that will speak to many different parts of the Hard Rock community.

DIZYGOTE have released a fantastic debut album that I hope people will take the time out to listen to. As this is another Album Of The Year Contender and perhaps one of the best debut albums you’ll hear this year or any year.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Howard at Farmadelica Sound for the promo. Freedom, Incorporated will be available to buy on CD/DD via Farmadelica Sound from June 2020.

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