From their very first single a few months short of four years back, the sound of UK metallers Spreading The Disease has been a contagious eventful trespass which has evolved almost by the song let alone release. It has been a growth driven by creative drama and rich imagination which is now unleashing its fullest, most striking roar within new EP, Mindcell; five tracks of ravening ferocity wrapped in bold enterprise which confirms and further establishes the Kent hailing outfit as one truly individual and compelling proposition.
As its predecessor, the Insurrection EP released late 2017, was borne from a bolder step in the character and enterprise of the band’s sound, so Mindcell openly reveals another thick step in its blooming. Into the EP’s fertile and atmospheric asylum Spreading The Disease weave their richest web of styles and flavours yet; uniting the familiar and the adventurously unique in a tempest of sound which just demands attention.
Obsession opens things up, an initial sonic stand swiftly pulling in a tempest of noise, aggression, and vocal ferity. As barbarous as it is there is also an instinctive virulence to the assault which only escalates as the track hits its savage groove. The throat of vocalist Connor Russell Snyder is a fury of emotion and threat but equally an incitement of feral melody as the song breaks from its wild incursion into a voraciously catchy chorus. From start to finish the track is superb, the rhythmic blitz of drummer Jack Apell and bassist Steve Saunders, the band’s founder, as manipulatively resourceful as it is hungrily barbarous and entangled in just as magnetic and enterprising exploits from guitarists James Falconer and Martin Osbourne with each broadening their imagination by twist and turn.
The mighty start continues as Voices rises from sonic mist, the disturbed edge of its intimation fuelling and springing the controlled but hellacious surge of intensity which follows. It too is just a vehicle for subsequent imagination to emerge, dark calm and insecure vocal reflection crooning before erupting in its own bedlamic fury. That too is just a moment breeding another individual moment, the song a fluid patchwork of schizophrenic twists spilling pure magnetism from start to finish; it all crafted with individual prowess and emotive intensity.
The following groove metal swing of The Anger Inside is just as potently captivating, the track equally a bruising and harassing slab of nu meets death metal soaked rock ‘n’ roll easily and quickly getting under the skin. Apell and Saunders steer the track through ears with sheer power and riveting guile respectively with the sonic cunning and causticity of Falconer and Osbourne similarly stirring and imposing.
Just as forceful and rousing are the vocal exploits of Snyder, their adventure no more potent than gracing next up Waves. Its gentle melodic lapping of the senses borders hypnotic, guitars and bass colluding in an alluring kaleidoscope of temptation before being urged into more caustic endeavour by the scything swings of Apell. Again there is a feral a quality to sound and song even within its mellow serenading and a progressively lined enterprise which adds to its increasing irresistibility and inevitable persuasion.
Conflicted brings things to a just as rich and potent close; the track opening with a groove which is as familiar as it is tempting. Soon though it’s untamed heart infests every emerging aspect, Snyder masterful astride its contagious trespass. To this at times, there is a hue of bands such as American Head Charge and Mudvayne but great essences soon devoured and reimagined by the viral exploits of Spreading The Disease.
Quite simply Mindcell is the finest moment to escape the creative institution of Spreading The Disease, one which should draw the spotlight it loudly declares the band deserves.
Mindcell is out now through Surgery Records; available from all platforms.
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Pete RingMaster 16/04/2019
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Health for Wealth churns up the senses next with its own web of waspish grooves, surly dynamics, and choleric attitude; American Wrecking Company lacing it with a belligerence caked but open melodic dexterity which just lights up appetite and imagination while its successor, The Burning lives up to its name in touch and atmosphere. It feels like a sonic witch hunt, every note and syllable a combative infestation of psyche preying on ears and the world but entwined with a flirtation of grooves and enterprise which keeps the track on a constant evolution within its fractious pyre.
The following Brother Man warmly grabs ears next like a collusion of Ruts and 12 Stone Toddler; its stalking groove and melodic coaxing a delicious mix soon embracing a reggae and metal induced tempest in turn proceeding to entangle all earlier aspects within its similarly and seriously catchy landscape. The further into its depths the more deranged twists show their voracious enticements as too mellower melodic but no less certifiable essences. Thorough captivation, it is more than matched in aberrant adventure by Dead Duck Dock. The song also follows those before it by making a relatively gentle melody woven entrance but also one soon showing argumentative discord in sound and intensity as its groove metal instincts rise. With hues of Slipknot and Society 1 to its growl, the song is a roar of creative irritability and intrigue never resting for long in one flavour or mood.
It is a thumping start matched in quality and irresistibility by the psychotically cultured Ha Ha. Sonic and rhythmic stabs court vocal shenanigans from the start with heftier beats soon adding their instable intent to the quickly compelling mix. Slithers of jazz and groove metal flirt with avant-garde psychosis as the track grows and writhes as well as anthemically incites in equal measure before allowing Nothing the opportunity to prey on an already submissive appetite and imagination for the release. The song saunters along with flirtatious and intimidating hues to the fore, Lepokorpi like the ringleader in its midst as his narrative challenges and highlights the issues theming the magnetic proposal.
I often wonder when a band stops or goes on a hiatus and then returns sometimes years later, how much is feeling like there is unfinished business, how much is working through issues and then members coming to a mutual kinship again, and how much is simply as a music fan being inspired by other’s great releases to go again or to show some how it should be done…any apply to AHC?
Can you tell us about the themes running through Tango Umbrella and certain songs?
Formed in 2011 but really finding its creative mojo once the current line-up was in place a couple or so years later, the Lincolnshire band soon sparked a hungry and swiftly growing fan base for their dramatically addictive sound which reached its first pinnacle in the Hands Sewn Together EP. Live too, the band has grown to be one of Britain’s prime incitements, sharing stages with the likes of American Head Charge, Kindred, ESO, Breed 77, Sworn Amongst, Maplerun, Evil Scarecrow, and Bloodshot Dawn amongst many along the way. Linking up with EP producer Matt Hyde (Machine Head, Trivium, Fightstar, As I Lay Dying and Slipknot) again for The Root Of Man, the quintet of brothers Drew (drums/ programming) and Peter ‘Mr Clone’ Moore (vocals), Conor (guitar) and Liam Richardson (guitar), and Mike Bradbury (bass) are seemingly poised to set their place at the head table of the UK and indeed European metal scene.
