Review of A Scanner Darkly - A Scanner Darkly EP

Add ‘Phillip K Dick-core’ or “Sci-Fi-core” to the ever growing sub genres of ‘core’ styled metal, and though I have not read the Philip K. Dick book of the same name, nor any of his other works, this noisy, sci-fi themed slab of noise is mighty impressive.

Essentially mixing the likes of Ed Gein and Pig Destroyer’s spastic post grind and angular DEP/Ion Dissonance math metal, A Scanner Darkly then throw in some ambient sci-fi tinged programming and samples to make the whole thing meld into one caustic, yet mechanical and harrowing display of modern noise.

How many modern ‘core’ bands have a 9 programmed/droning minute interlude (“Four Years, False Memories”) amid the expected spasms of screaming, jarring mountainous noise (“Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”, “Pay for the Printer”, “Man in the High Castle”) and glacial, pummeling sludge (“VALIS”, “Flow My Tears, The Policeman Said”)? The atonal assault is precise yet chaotic, but snippets of Dick’s literature and a few unobtrusive beeps and whirs, keep things far from the expected noise-core structures and keep the listener’s attention.

I don’t expect Minnesota band to reside on Gilead Media for long as this 24 minute audition should set the likes of Hydra Head, Relapse and Robotic Empire on full notice for arguably the next big noise act.

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