AN NCS PREMIERE: SADISTIK FOREST — “ZERO PROGRESS”

 

The death metal of Sadistik Forest is a destructive art, a morbidly majestic revery on a life characterized by decades of torment, and then death — zero progress lies behind, the hour of dread approaches, and then the maelstrom opens, the monsters of death come slavering forth from a place where the bones of a giant lie waiting for you to join them.

And in case you haven’t figured it out, all the song titles on the band’s new album, Morbid Majesties, were stitched together into that opening sentence in a way that suggests a narrative, but also conveys some of the moods in this band’s potent attack on the senses. What that sentence doesn’t adequately convey, however, is how tremendously vibrant the music is, and how well-crafted the songs are to achieve an immediate visceral impact while also digging their hooks into the listener’s head. We’ve got a prime example of this in the song we’re premiering today: “Zero Progress“.

 

 

As suggestive as our stitching-together of the song titles might be, it’s better to go directly to the source, and so let’s take a look at the band’s own comment about the album and its lyrical themes:

“With Morbid Majesties our goal was to write a rhythmically and musically more diverse record. There were maybe some drumbeats and rhythms that had become a trademark for us, or something like it. Now we tried to avoid the easy ways out and challenge our songwriting a bit more, maybe. That added with our best production to date, the results should speak for themselves.

“Lyrically it is an album loosely based around the misconception of man that we are in some way important. That there would be a greater plan for our existence. Yet, there are factors we can do nothing about. Let’s call them the morbid majesties — time, chaos and death, each of them capable of altering the course of our lives in a second.”

On “Zero Progress“, Sadistik Forest do a fine job altering the course of the music as the song unfolds, and revealing the ways in which they borrow from genres other than death metal. It’s a heavyweight, mid-paced monster stomp at first, with a massive bass line and a sickly soaring lead — and then the full-force battering begins, with that the lead morphing into a twisted, swirling thing. The vocals also morph, in a sequence of cauterizing shrieks, humongous roars, and gristle-chewing snarls. But maybe the most electrifying sequence is what comes next, as the band deliver a dose of neck-wrecking, jackhammering thuggery. All told, it’s a hell of an invigorating rampage.

 

For those who might just be learning about the band, their line-up consists of vocalist/bassist Markus Makkonen (ex-Hooded Menace), guitarists Antti Heikkinen and Matti Salo, and drummer Vesa Mutka. The new album also includes guest vocals by Cris Pervertor (Satanika) on “Destructive Art”  and by Michael Dorrian (Anatomy Of I) on the song we’re premiering today, “Zero Progress”.

 

 

Morbid Majesties features grisly artwork by Raúl Fuentes. It will be released on May 25th by Transcending Obscurity Records, digitally and on CD (including an autographed metallic green embossed box set), with related merch.

“Zero Progress” is the fifth track to be made available for streaming from Morbid Majesties, and we’ve included the others below for your added listening pleasure.

Pre-order:
https://sadistikforest.bandcamp.com/

Sadistik Forest:
https://www.facebook.com/entertheforest

Transcending Obscurity:
http://tometal.com
https://www.facebook.com/transcendingobscurityrecords

Track List:
1. Morbidly Majestic
2. Decades of Torment Then Death
3. The Hour of Dread
4. Destructive Art
5. Zero Progress
6. Monsters of Death
7. The Maelstrom Opens
8. Bones of a Giant