A band planning to go away for a while but leaving listeners with one last record is a cool gesture. And obviously it’s also much more than that as blood and sweat goes into making new music, but it’s still great to have fresh creations to enjoy as the players go their separate ways. It’s another jolt still when that music is like nothing the band ever created before, throwing you for a serious loop.
Destroyer of Light’s new record “Degradation Years” also came with the gut punch that its members are going on indefinite hiatus, making it clear this will be the band’s final album for a long time. If there ever comes new music again. This seven-track excursion also steers significantly away from its trademark doom metal fire, veering deep into music informed by ’90s-era alternative and post-punk, though they don’t abandon their recipe totally. The band—vocalist/guitarist Steve Colca, guitarist Keegan Kjeldsen, bassist Mike Swarbrick, drummer Kelly Turner—put together a smart, compelling 40 minutes that leaves bruising behind but also makes one wonder what else these artists are capable of making.
“Cruel World” instantly signals that things are different musically, this piece about Chris Cornell instantly pushing you into cold fog, the guitars boiling as Colca’s strong, confident singing unties the knot. “And now I cry at night knowing we should die,” he calls, also kind of signaling 1990s Ozzy, bringing the track to a burning finish. “Waiting for the End” brings shimmering guitars and a moody ’80s feel, the post-punk-style vibes running down your spine. The chorus bursts and is catchy as hell, and as Colga sings, “There’s a reason why you never sleep at night,” you feel the anxiety creeping. The leads add new layers, a dark, hazy tempo lulls you into false security, and the playing disappears into the shadows. “Perception of Time” starts clean with a synth haze, parts feeling inspired by Pink Floyd’s darkest moods, especially vocally. Guitars create a fog as warmth boils, guitars bubble over, and then trudging bursting returns, reminding you these guys still carry a jagged blade.
“Failure” opens with cold leads and the bass driving, Colca’s voice coming at you with both a low and high stream as he harmonizes with himself. Doomy chugging arrives before things turn mystical, the heat exploding out of that, fiery playing increasing the temperature. “I live with regret,” Colca calls as the track slowly spirals down, the guitars sliding deep into the dirt. “Man With No Name” feels more reflective as the guitars drip, the singing drives, and a dark, foreboding sense begins creeping slowly. The singing gets doomier, the guitars bursting and scathing, bleeding directly into “Blind Faith” that begins faster and gnarlier. Melodic singing and gutting guitars team up, Colca wails, “Fight the terror you create, follow rules and do as they say,” as the track thrashes away. Closer “Where I Cannot Follow” is solemn as it starts, the singing rising, guitars blazing as the doom bricks drop. The tempo begins to chew into muscle, the fiery soloing soaring, sorrowful melodies mixing like streaks of blood in water, ending in ash and flames.
Destroyer of Light’s final salvo (at least for now) is their most unexpected album yet as “Degradation Years” shows you an entirely different side of the band musically. There remains some fiery doom for which they’re best known, but these new wrinkles show they’re capable of a lot more, which we get to experience in generous servings. If we don’t hear from the band for a while, or ever again, they left us with a thought-provoking, musically diverse collection that is exciting, dark, and powerful, something that will stick in your mind well into the future.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/destroyeroflight/
To buy the album, go here: https://destroyeroflight.bandcamp.com/album/degradation-years
Meat Mead Metal 