Release Date: October 21st 2025. Record Label: Self Released. Formats: DD
Dystopia - Tracklisting
1.Little Fingers 08:00
2.Black Rains 04:39
3.Above and Below 08:52
4.Regrets 04:28
5.Flying to Nowhere 04:40
6.Falling Down 08:05
7.Rise to the Surface 05:43
8.Dystopia 02:57
Lineup
Music played and recorded by Néstor Ayala Cortés
Review
Dystopia is the latest sonic adventure from Some Pills For Ayala which is the solo project from Néstor Ayala Cortés better known for his work with the Chilean Doom/Fuzz/Stoner Metal band At Devil Dirt. The record should appeal to fans of Brant Bjork, KYUSS, QOTSA and Yawning Man. The record is given a freakish and fuzzed up makeover with an escapist Southern American underground flavour that allows Some Pills For Ayala to move into areas of Drone, Psych, Space and Electronica which is quite potent to hear from the very offset.
Some Pills For Ayala offer a more mind-expanding and lysergic experience which taps quite heavily into the SONIC and FREAKOUT surroundings of Stoner Rock/Metal that feels like Néstor is tapping into multiple worlds and dimension for some of the music he conjures up here.
The mood is quite laid-back for the most part within the opening track Little Fingers where there’s a deep BRANT BJORK energy resonating from the vocals and lyrics before a seedy aggressive burst of Fuzzed Up Stoner Metal taps into heavier influences but still allowing Some Pills For Ayala to generate their own style of epic music of their own making. The trippy and middle eastern beats appear minimally but make a massive impact and impression which becomes quite a common theme throughout the album.
Second track Black Rains is a soulful slice of Space Rock with a great style of Grunge, Stoner Metal and Alt-Metal forming with influences such as Monster Magnet and Alice In Chains beginning to emerge. The whole mood does feel inspired by Alice In Chains especially with the vocals, lyrics and musical tempo changes which makes this such a great track to listen to repeatedly before moving onto the next track on the album. You can expect to hear more SONIC and AMPLIFIER DISTORTION which allows the Sludge Rock aspect of the track to take complete control.
Third track Above and Below sees Some Pills For Ayala to change musical direction yet again with an abstract style of Grunge, Desert Rock and Fuzz Rock with the soulful Stoner based melody having a long distance approach. The song does take time to fully come together but when it does then you’re treated to one of the standout tracks on the album. Levels of synths appear which add a cool sounding ELECTRONIC vibe to the hallucinogenic journey that becomes heavier, faster and aggressive as time passes by. With a rich sounding Post-Rock narrative slowly transforming into finely played strands of Experimental Rock that becomes a majestic Post-Stoner and Space Rock sound before the song beautifully fades into the distance.
Fourth track Regrets is a sullen Ambient/Post-Rock number with brooding vocal passages set against a bleak Psychedelic tunnel which isn’t heaviest but contains some of the most interesting musical arrangements on the whole album.
Fifth track Flying To Nowhere is the most experimental track held on the album with Some Pills For Ayala playing with distorted feedback loops, warped electronics and vocals from another dimension. You can expect to experience areas of sonic experimentation and upbeat space rock grooves. The song is filtered through levels of twisted amounts of DRONED OUT electronics which leave you quite unsettled in places.
For the final three tracks of the album (Falling Down, Rise to the surface and Dystopia) Some Pills For Ayala continues with their warped sense of melody and sonic distortion amongst the world of Heavy Psychedelics and intense Stoner Rock/Metal energy with some of the best grooves appearing on this part of the album. The whole musical dynamic is quite offbeat but also paying loving respect to the Nineties Stoner Metal scene. Vocals are excellent yet again from Néstor with some great lyrics allowing him to demonstrate what a great vocalist he actually is.
Dystopia is quite a challenging and highly unusual record but it’s one that offers a wealth of classic sounding Grunge, Psych, Space Rock, Fuzz Rock and Stoner Metal instrumental passages which is such a dangerously addictive record to fully experience.
Excellent and Highly Recommended.
Words by Steve Howe
Links
