American Heritage: Prolapse

US tech-brutalists bow out with a bloody swansong

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Eighteen years on and this band are leaving us more energised than when they arrived.

Over time, they have redirected their instrumental, math-led roots towards a more engaging brand of sludge-drenched, punk-tinged metal. Now, still rammed with crowd-pleasing riffs, interwoven melodies and eccentric fretwork, they leave room for more straightforward, mind-melting shredding. The cool, rule-breaking attitude displayed with Sedentary is one of the reasons why this technically adept but effortlessly brutal band still remains so interesting. Adam Nordan’s gruff but semi-melodic vocals grow more distinctive with each release, Anxious Bedwetter shows them continuing to defy classification and fuse genres even within individual tracks, and Mask Of Lies is so volatile it may cause injuries live. Following Adam’s departure, however, this will be the last of this band’s albums. Admittedly, some songs are less memorable than others – but with just over 30 minutes of new tracks and three covers, including Black Flag’s Thirsty And Miserable, it’s a fine stage bow.

Prolapse is released via Solar Flare