For this month's issue of Frost Vision, I have once again decided to focus on the discography of one band. This time it's Blattaria, a one-man act notable for their elaborate drumming and chilling, unsettling sound similar to the likes of Skaphe and Arizmenda.
(Disclosure: I am mutuals with Blattaria on Twitter.)
Spectrophobia
The band was formed by Manuel Garcia in Oklahoma City in 2008, but they did not release their first demo Spectrophobia until six years later. As is to be expected from a band's first release, the production is quite raw, but still audible. Garcia is a drummer first and foremost, and his skills are on full display here. Blast beats are abundant, as are the creeping slow rhythms. Not only are all of these patterns delivered with absolute precision, but they are always punctuated by elaborate fills. I was most impressed by his technical displays on "Realm."
The vocals consist of a strangled howl. Though they are not drenched in as much reverb as some other acts, they still sound ghostly, thus living up to the demo's name. Even more ghostly is the guitar work. Their haunting tone, which reminds me of bands such as Leviathan, makes their many tremolo riffs, palm-muted riffs, and drawn-out chords all the more captivating. "Disorientation" makes you feel like you're lost in an otherworldly maze. "Lurking" conjures up images of horrible creatures skulking in the shadows. The chilling riffs on "Realm" are a great homage to Xasthur. And the title track is appropriately frightening.
Overall, this was a strong debut demo with great instrumental work and an atmosphere that reflects the poltergeist themes.
Blattaria
The cockroach belongs to an order of insects known as Blattaria. This is where the band got its name. This insect is notorious for being a foul pest, and the construction of the band's self-titled full-length perfectly reflects that theme. The production is more polished than it was on their first demo. Personally, I prefer my black metal raw and lo-fi, but the music still sounds great regardless. Garcia continues to astound with his drum work. His blast beats feel a lot more powerful, his slower rhythms are more nuanced, and his fills have gotten even more complex.
The vocals have gone from being a strangled howl to a crazed scream, giving off the impression that the music was made by an unhinged mind. He also performs some droning vocals on songs like "The Sewers Beneath Us," which makes the music sound all the more disturbing. The guitars are even more intriguing. They still retain a small portion of that Leviathan and Xasthur influence, but now it has transformed into something unique, something uncanny, something unsettling.
The first few seconds of the demo feature dreamy yet ominous clean guitars before transitioning to a chaotic maelstrom. The high-pitched tremolo riffs on "Dimension" make you feel like you're being flung across different planes of reality. The rising and falling slides on "Amongst Filth, Amongst Decay" are deliberately disorienting. "The Eggs Are Hatching" is the shortest song here, but it also features some amazing leads. "Dweller of the Night" offers up rapid tremolo riffs and slow chords that are truly harrowing. "Dumpster" features a few melodies that bring a small bit of order to the musical chaos. Rounding things off is "The Sewers Beneath Us," which provides us with many cavernous riffs.
This demo is significantly better than their first. The instrumental work is more polished, the songwriting is more complex, and the music overall is much more distinctive.
Life Is A Disease
Blattaria's 2019 full-length, Life Is A Disease, features a bit more death metal influence. The tone is darker and the production is slightly filthier. The blast beats have also taken on a more death metal quality. All of the drums' other patterns are just as complex and varied as they were on the previous release. The creeping rhythms tingle the spine and the fills astound. I especially enjoyed the militaristic passages on the title track. Aside from the crazed screams, Garcia also does growls on occasion, further reinforcing the darker mood of the music. At this point the band has settled onto a working formula, assaulting the listener with chaotic and dissonant tremolo riffs, arpeggios, and slides. They also throw in some creeping passages during the slower parts, and they even play some clean guitars on occasion to enhance the unsettling atmosphere.
The violent maelstrom of riffs and blast beats on "Disgusting Planet" is intentionally designed to make the listener feel nauseous and repulsed. The high-pitched chords at the halfway point were especially frightening, and he even throws in a deranged solo near the end. The title track isn't as chaotic, but it's also a lot more bleak and ominous, as if showing contempt for life itself. "Downwards" is a short instrumental track consisting of sinister synthesizers that genuinely make you feel like you're descending into abyssal reaches. "Visions of My Corpse" draws inspiration from doom metal by offering up a bone-chilling dirge. And then there's "Swarm," which, true to its name, features frantic tremolo riffs and blast beats that sound like a swarm of angry insects.
This album is musical misanthropy. The dark tones, dissonant riffs, and discordant songwriting are all expressions of unbridled hate. An immensely enjoyable listen this one was. Passion and rage seep through every note.
Dream, Dwell, Die
Just one year after Life Is A Disease, the band released another full-length called Dream, Dwell, Die. They took the formula they had crafted and added more dream-like and deranged qualities. "Web of Thoughts," appropriately enough, is a black metal stream of consciousness, with frequent tempo and time signature changes, blast beats that suddenly morph into elaborate patterns, disjointed chord progressions that give way to frantic tremolo riffs, and crazed screams. "Recluse" feels more frantic, with blast beats and rapid tremolo riffs being more common. After the ominous, synth-laden interlude track "Backwards," we are treated to "I Hear the Insects..." which is a slower, more creeping track featuring deep growls, swarming riffs, and extravagant mid-paced rhythms and fills. The music on the title track is thematically appropriate, for it is dreamy and morbid in equal measure. Surreal passages give way to raging assaults. The bass also comes through clearly during the slow-paced sections.
A band always takes a big risk when they experiment with their established formula, but this album turned out to be impressive and intriguing, for Garcia demonstrates technical and songwriting skills that few can match.
They Seek Power
At just 22 minutes in length, this release is quite short compared to the band's other work, but then you realize that it consists of two tracks, each of which is over ten minutes long. They made a few modifications to their established formula to keep things interesting. Alongside the maniacal screams they now perform eerie droning vocals. Breaking up the blast beats are many off-kilter mid-paced rhythms. Joining the many chaotic tremolo riffs and arpeggios are high-pitched melodic leads that make the music more enchanting. This release was great overall. I just wish it was longer.
Dismantle the New Cult
On Blattaria's past albums, the political messaging was subtextual. Things become much more overt with the release of Dismantle the New Cult. The title is an obvious reference to the secular religion known as social justice. And it absolutely is a religion, with its own god in the form of Equality, its own holy books and sacred doctrine, its own mantras and iconography, its own rituals and holy days, its own saints and martyrs, its own infidels and heretics, its own conception of original sin in the form of "privilege," and its own conception of blasphemy in the form of "hate speech."
"Reject Sanity, Embrace Filth" sets the mood for the whole album, hitting the listener with rampaging blast beats, echoing screams of rage, and high-pitched melodic leads atop disjointed chord progressions. Next up is "The Cult Wants You DEAD," which features chaotic buzzing tremolo riffs that reflect the insanity of those who preach empathy and tolerance. I immensely enjoyed the pounding drums after the four minute mark. The cult indeed wants you dead, by the way. To be more specific, they want you broke and dead, your kids raped and brainwashed, and they think it's funny. "Insubordinate" proceeds at a slower pace, presenting us with creeping chord progressions, intricate cymbal work, and many echoing screams that sound like they're emanating from a long forgotten prison. The title track features dark and unsettling chord progressions and rumbling double bass, making it feel like a throwback to the band's first release. "They Seek Blood" offers up excellent blast beats alongside dissonant riffs. "Mass Formation Psychosis," as its name suggests, features psychotic high-pitched riffs carried along by unhinged drums and raging screams. There's even a thrilling solo at the halfway point. It's an amazing closing track, an excellent summary of the music that came before it.
With this album, it's safe to say that Blattaria is one of the most exciting and creative bands currently active in the American black metal scene. The dissonant guitars, deranged screams, and extravagant drum work are a marvel to behold. If you're not already listening to them, then you're missing out.