Reignmaker - EP Review: Demos from Uranus
Reignmaker, who identify themselves as a "brutal aliencore duo … from the Swamp and from the Hutt", have just released their first two-track EP, entitled Demos from Uranus. With a total run time of just 3-minutes, the EP blasts out of the gate and past the listener as a lightning-bolt of uncontrollable, frenetic, schizophrenic energy. Perhaps hidden beneath the blistering tempos, the brutal vocal deliveries, hints of beautifully immature humour (see the cover art and title for starters!), some strange shared fascination with aliens that may form part of a band in-joke, and face-meltingly quick guitar runs lies the work of two very talented musicians. After repeated listens, you’re left with the feeling that this shot in the arm is exactly what Reignmaker wanted to spawn onto an unsuspecting audience.
While both tracks, Shotgun to a Sled Dog and Exile to Orbit, are sonically distinct, there is a consistency between them, a statement of intent, and an unleashing of a well-established signature sound. A monstrously huge groove, albeit played at a breakneck pace, sits beneath the punishingly brutal technical/blackened death, and grindcore relentlessness. It takes a few listens, but as the listener sinks deeper into this dark world of Reignmaker there are fascinating guitar and programmed drum gymnastics to be found.
The production on this EP is exactly what it should be. Equal parts grit and shine, the mix delivers a wall of sound for the vocal to growl over. With much of the music occurring in the bassier ranges, Reignmaker have done well to ensure that the deeper vocals are not lost and that there is little to no muddiness to the overall sound. I look forward to hearing what comes next from them.
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