Dichotic

The Deepest Rise

Psycho Drive Studios 2008

Mid-tempo thrash with a deep groove and some soulful guitar solo parts is what I am confronted with upon listening to Wisconsin's Dichotic.  The album opens with A Truce of No Worth which brings all the aforementioned elements and locks them in a death grip with Firestorm era Earth Crisis.  A Sucker for Failure ups the ante with a quickened pace and decidedly more "metal" feel to it.  Hints of melody lurk in the shadows as Jake Frisby incorporates drum rolls to counter point the faster thrash riffs.  A chugging groove hits home on Eye of the World providing the track with a really muscular power.  Jester's vocals are particularly irate on this song as if here were fighting the injustices of the world alone.  The excellent solo work by Aaron and Ace prove this is not the case.  Down to Life flexes with thick guitars and fanatical screams which reminds me of a more melodic Damnation AD.  Ominous bass work sets the stage for the galloping No Guns, No Glory which brings a jaw-shattering strength to the chorus.  A new layer of emotional depth is achieved on Desecrated through melodic riffing and a slightly more tempered vocal approach.  Never content to sit within the confines of modern groove oriented thrash, Delivery of Peace starts with almost middle-eastern guitar work though quickly settles back into the bread-N-Butter of blood-fueled aggression.  A moment of calm and sorrow is introduced for the initial stage of the title track but then some ass-kicking melodies and neck snapping breaks flood in like a torrential downpour.  The drums have a really snappy production to them while the guitars are crisp sounding.  It would have been nice to hear Bronz's bass guitar a little more as it is buried for much of the album, though it is very noticeable during parts of A Truce of No Worth.  Dichotic are angry at something and I am glad it is not me.  The Deepest Rise displays a range of feelings and textures but I am overridden by the physicality of Dichotic's style.  A very respectable debut that has instrumental flair and a modern edge that fleshes out the boundaries of the raw power of this release.