Swarm of Eyes – Designing the Dystopia
A few weeks ago, Slimedog and I were over at Great Scott supporting a number of TNB’s favorite metal acts, including: ACARO, Death Ray Vision and Motherboar. Just when we thought the line up couldn’t get any better, we were pleasantly surprised to experience a new band playing their first gig that goes by the name, Swarm of Eyes.
These guys hail from Manchester, NH and play an exciting brand of metal that ranges from blackened thrashy death to moody doom metal. Their members consist of George O’Connor on guitar, Randy Carter on vocals, Derrik Albertelli on guitar, Jeff Grossman on bass and Tommy Burke on drums. Both Slimy and I were very impressed by their live performance and quickly added a band profile for them (here).
Swarm of Eyes has a wicked cool album offering, aptly named, “Designing the Dystopia”, which includes no less than 14 great tracks. That’s right, 14 tracks!!! Talk about “bang for the buck”. After listening to it numerous times, I must say, each and every song is awesomely crafted with the Swarm’s own brand of doom-ish excitement and intensity. The production quality is amazing, as is the Swarm’s musical proficiency. So let’s get Bangin’ and check out a few of my favorite tunes, shall we.
“Enter the Circle” is the first track and gets the death crazed metal machine rolling down the track the right way. It starts off with a frenzied swirl of guitar licks that give way to a battering ram of drum beats and rolls leading into Randy’s awesome blackened vocalizations. Half way through, the guitars kick in with an amazing display of maniacal riff-ery. If this tune doesn’t get your blood boiling and your heart racing, you’d better check your pulse (you may be dead).
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/01 Enter the Circle.mp3|titles=Enter the Circle]“Endless Ashes” is a moody chugging number with biting guitar riffs and devilishly cool chanting vocals. It exudes a feel and texture similar to another one of my all time favorite metal artists, Immortal. Towards the middle of the tune, the mesmerizing demonic back beat gives way to a very cool guitar solo. Check it out.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/03 Endless Ashes.mp3|titles=Endless Ashes]“Journey to the Endless End” quickly emerges through the gates reminiscent of a great tune from the Dead Boys called Sonic Reducer (but that’s where the similarity ends … this is thrash after all). The pace is exciting and quick, featuring multiple vocalizations, melodic guitar riff soloing and straight ahead drumming. Crank it up.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/06 Journey To The Endless End.mp3|titles=Journey To The Endless End]“Warzone” is a pounding good time and definitely one of my favorites. Kudos to Tommy whose hardcore drumming is incredible. The tune grabs you right from the start and never lets up until theirs nothing left of us but burnt out entrails from the utter destruction of our senses. Also featured is another awesome guitar solo.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/10 Warzone.mp3|titles=Warzone]“Downfall” is a slower more melodic offering starting off with Jeff on bass and Tommy on drums. They are soon joined by an eerie melancholic guitar riff that sets the atmosphere for the rest of the tune, as Randy belts out his foreboding tale. Front and center are the Swarm’s fantastic guitar tandem of George and Derrik. If you listen closely you may even pickup what sounds like a cell phone buzzing in the distance (of course, I’m probably just imagining things as I often do these days). Enjoy.
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/11 Downfall.mp3|titles=Downfall]“Irredeemable” is the last tune I’m going to talk about and really has it all. Starting out with cool fuzzed out guitars reminiscent of Sabbath, it chugs along at a leisurely pace highlighted by Randy’s great vocalizations, “I am irredeemable…”. Then towards the middle, the pace quickens and explodes with frenzied excitement. An incredible guitar solo caps off the run and eventually drives the frenzied pace back to its chugging origins (don’t try this at home).
[audio:https://www.thrashnbang.com/wp-content/music/13 Irredeemable.mp3|titles=Irredeemable]
With a total of 14 tracks available, I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the great tunes on “Designing the Dystopia”. It’s truly an awesome album that I enjoy immensely and I’m sure you will too. Be sure to grab your own copy and crank it. Also be sure to check out Swarm of Eyes live when they visit your town.
Later,
(Andy Bang)
