To find any release in this day and age that shows any degree of being unique is a rarity; a prime example being the array of bands that are ushered into the Prog umbrella despite such close resemblances to their peers. So the fact that upcomers The Great Discord have created something that sounds fresh and cutting edge, and on their début release is quite astonishing.
Taken from a term loosely meaning a heightened state of expression or emotion, Duende (Metal Blade) sets the mind-boggling right from the start. First song ‘The Aging Man’ creeps into life with an atmospheric passage with a haunting chant like vocal in the background, seemingly setting up for something near melodic and progressive black metal territory before it spins into an entirely new direction more akin to a Meshuggah influence. Just as things begin to feel like they are settling they take a dynamic shift once again, altering between such staccato riffing, to more morose, drifting melodies through to the grandiose. Strikingly these mismatched styles never appear disjointed or thrown together.
The perfect complement to this sheer diversity is Fia Kempe’s chameleon like vocals. For the most part delicate and even seductive; her execution moulds perfectly to each and every pace and style; even encompassing harsh vocals on the heavier ‘Selfaeta’ and even a mournful tone on the ballad ‘Woes’, reminiscent of the likes of Tarja or Liv Kristine.
For a début album to show some signs of true forward thinking on any level is impressive enough, but for The Great Discord to show such high levels of progressive movement in their range of styles, their execution and even to their mystique and cinematic vision shows that they are a band to look at for the future. At times it is easy to pinpoint influences to some degree, but very few acts can display such a wide range and make it sound both their own and all flowing.
8.0/10
CHRIS TIPPELL