- Chi·me·ra /kīˈmirə,kəˈmirə/ - (in Greek mythology) a fire-breathing female monster with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.
- Du·ri·an /ˈdo͝orēən,ˈdo͝orēˌän/ - an oval spiny tropical fruit containing a creamy pulp. Despite its fetid smell, it is highly esteemed for its flavor. It has been described as the most foul-smelling fruit in the world. Its aroma has been compared to raw sewage, rotting flesh and smelly gym socks.
Keeping in mind my comments in my previous article about my favorite releases of 2021 and how challenging it was narrowing down that list due to the volume of commendable releases that came out last year. Durian's latest release, Scare Tactics, falls right on top of that category. And speaking of categories, where to start with Durian as a band? As an OCD lifer, categorization and specificity are my day in, day out. But Durian tend to tip-toe in and out of classification and genre ever so slightly. And getting into the weeds with subgenres can be exhausting, even for me. Nevertheless, Scare Tactics sees the band's patented punk permeated power violence painted grind evolving into a bulkier, burnished brick of blatant grindcore brutalism.
New Jersey's Durian was founded by members of the now defunct and highly revered grind-violence band, Chainsaw to the Face. And as the sun started going down on Chainsaw to the Face in 2015, it rose on Durian starting with their 2016 basement recorded demo. Right away Durian cultivated a sound that didn't so much rely on power violence's juxtaposition of fast blast beats and slow slogs. Instead opting to blend revved up and spastic punk riffs with angled and staggered arrangements. Set into motion by mass and speed. But what immediately stands out, even at the most preliminary cursory listen, is the bass guitar work. The inclusion of bass in the mix of grindcore material is almost something of an industry running joke. Commonly not even being included at all depending on the band. Durian features not only competent and articulate basslines, but actually holds them to the forefront. Especially in the band's earlier EP's. Combine all of this with proficient song writing and structure and you have a recipe for a real dynamism that makes for a truly energetic listening experience. A standard that the band has been perfecting for the past five years and six releases.
2021's Scare Tactics marks not only Durian's first full-length, but also an evolution in the band's brand of grind-violence. The sound this time around seems to lean more towards the grindcore side of the grind-violence duality. But without forsaking the power violence necessities. E.g. tracks like "Maslow's Dog" and "Committed to Ignorance." Rather this album is a hulking powerhouse that is somehow nimble enough to wield that weight with total malleability. The guitar is a thicker, heavier driving force and is now moved up in the mix. This is literally instrumental in showcasing songs like "Compulsion." A song that has some really interesting riffs and patterns. The song basically operates like a wind-up toy that has burst into flames and keeps violently grating itself to pieces. Likewise, the very next track "People Are Alike All Over" incorporates skipping hardcore two-steps, blast beat bursts of AK-47 fire and metallic snare stampedes. A style that propels the entirety of the album through zigzagging twists and turns. Ultimately the bass guitar is toned down on this album. Not diminished. Just more evenly distributed in the production. In fact, Scare Tactics is probably one of the most level and balanced mixed albums you are likely to hear in the genre, ever. The bright slinky spring wound bass, the Tilt-A-Whirl/shotgun shell guitar riffs, the poppy crack of the snare drum and the three-tier combination vocals coalesce in a way that really makes the LP shine.
Scare Tactics illustrates a current Durian that has matured in the ways of symmetry and production. While bolstering their grindcore beastliness and simultaneously doubling down on the power violence undertones at their core. Their churning and fragmented song structure is explosive and exciting. The band skillfully rounds off the edges to a genre made-up of abrupt and angular songs and they shape them to flow smoothly and seamlessly. If I were a blogger writing a series of grindcore music reviews under the fictional narrative of living in a decrepit homestead, I would explain that Durian play a subtle and sophisticated version of grind-violence. In which they have cracked the code on how to flawlessly marry the two genres. As well as the fact that Scare Tactics is a talentedly crafted, highly vibrant addition to the band's discography. If I were debating this album with friends in-between sets at a local show, I would explain how the first half of the album sounds like Code 13 doing Fiend covers. While the second half reminds me of a scenario in which Despise You crossbred with Magrudergrind. (I maintain "Façade" is proof of this.) But if I were simply recommending this LP to an interested party, I'd say this is an absolutely fun album by the best band you've never heard of.
FFO: Chainsaw To The Face, Six Brew Bantha, Phobia, Dropdead
Listen to the album:
