Originally written by Ian Duncan-Brown.
The new Misery Index album is impressive, to say the least. Though I enjoyed the band’s energetic performance when I last saw them, I have been consistently underwhelmed by their recorded output. Their previous full length, Retaliate, seemed dull and virtually devoid of hooks or catchy elements; metal by the numbers, if you will. Though I understand that the Assuck-inspired crust that the band plays isn’t intended to sound like Jason’s previous outfit, Dying Fetus, the overall lack of memorable material surprised and disappointed me. Since then, I’ve listened to two EPs that the band has put out, and each struck me as competent but uninspired. Since Dying Fetus’ post-Netherton release, Stop At Nothing, was similarly unimpressive, it had seemed that the two splinter groups were both weak shadows of a once-excellent death metal band. Discordia has turned the above theory on its head, surprising me with its able marriage of the crust/grind style and the death metal grooves that made Destroy the Opposition-era Dying Fetus so compelling.
Discordia is an enjoyable listen primarily because Misery Index have learned how to write great riffs. The main themes found on “Dystopian Nightmares” and the title track are perfect examples of the group’s newfound ability to produce extremely memorable material. Another thing that impresses me is the fact that each track sounds unique; the thing that I like the least about grind-oriented music is the fact that the songs generally tend to run together, often forming a 30+ minute continuous assault that is, to be honest, more boring than harrowing. Though the material on this disc is hardly progressive, it is certainly intricate.
As is to be expected, the musicianship on display is well above average. The drumming is crisp and precise, while the guitarists display a level of technical prowess that is rare among crust bands. Add Jason Netherton’s always impassioned vocal performance into the mix and you have an overall excellent execution. The production is tad thin by death metal standards, yet far more polished than the average crust release. Though I’m all for lo-fi production when it comes to genres like crust and black metal, the fairly clean and lucid production on this disc fits the material just as well. No major complaints in the musicianship and production departments.
Misery Index have risen in my estimation, having produced what is one of the better metal discs of 2006. If you’re a fan of the band, I imagine that you’ll enjoy this release, and if you weren’t especially amazed by their earlier work, it’s time to give them another chance. With this release, Misery Index have shown themselves to be a worthy band in their own right, and I eagerly await the current incarnation of Fetus to prove themselves the same.
