Album Review: Dysphotic – The Eternal Throne

Dysphotic is making New Mexico proud to host badass metal bands of this caliber. This new wave of metal is modern, but still nostalgiac for kids like me who grew up headbanging at Warehouse 21, moshing at the VFW, and drinking their first beer at The Underground. All of our favorite vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers are still going strong and making new bands, new music, and new albums. This is a prime example.

Ben Durfee is one of the most technical drummers this side of the Rio Grande. His technique and skill is difficult to match. Fortunately, guitarists Augustine Ortiz and Zac Hogan not only keep up with the brisk pace, but also embellish it with their own intricate shredding. Corbin Pfeiffer fills the dual role of bassist and vocalist, giving the music a strong anchor to ground it and unite everything together.

All four band members have some part in the song writing process. Even though the music sounds loud and chaotic, there is method behind the madness, and it fits together naturally and organically. Speaking of nature, most of us know that it is a cruel and indifferent world. Animals are either the predator or the prey, and they can even cannibalize their own species. Even inorganic and abiotic materials can kill you, such as drowning in water, dying of exposure to heat or cold, starving to death, or succumbing to your own diseased body. Dysphotic explores all of these morbid concepts with pessimistic lyrics about beasts, fire, darkness, and despair.

This album is like a force of nature, or even a natural disaster. A waterfall looks majestic when you’re safe on the ground, but not so much when you’re about to make the drop yourself. The ocean is romantic when you experience it from a beach, but it is terrifying when you are stranded in the middle of its dark waters. So it is with metal music. The melodies are beautiful, but they are countered by raw aggression. How can something be so heavy and heartless, yet so aesthetic? This mystery only amplifies the dark intrigue of the experience. Check it out on Bandcamp and judge for yourself. Four stars out of five!