Dysrhythmia w/ Chickenhawk, Brudenell Social Club

So, where have Chickenhawk been? On their jollies? Well, not exactly. They’ve been touring furiously since earlier this year. And whilst this would cause most bands to look a little ragged around the edges, maybe even drop to bits, it has had the exact opposite effect on the Leeds quartet. This is the bastard son of Chickenhawk, more dirgey and thrashing than ever before. It’s hard to pinpoint precisely what they have done to sound so different, but their guitars sound like they have been pumped with steroids. They power through ‘NASA vs ESA,’ ‘Son of Cern’ and a few tracks that preview the forthcoming album, due for release later this year. My advice would be to stick them back on the road for another six months and then see what Frankenstein creature returns. It will probably have six heads and claws.

This all sets the sweaty masculine tone quite nicely for Dysrhythmia. Perhaps not the most well-known NY export, but one of the most interesting and quietly influential. They’ve been going for the best part of a decade but as their 5th album, ‘Psychic Maps’, has been duly praised by Revolver and Metal Hammer alike, they are enjoying a renaissance of sorts.

Now, Dysrhythmia look like hairy thrash chumps, but don’t be fooled: they actually have one of the most experimental, clever sounds in metal. It’s rare that a name ever suited a band so perfectly, because it’s their technical jazz rhythms which make them so unpredictable and jarring. They play their songs backwards and inside out. Imagine That Fucking Tank trapped in a nightmare reality, and you’ve got a rough idea of what I mean. Precisely weird, tight and noisy, they demand the attention of every one in the Brudenell, which unfortunately isn’t as busy as it usually is. Blame the baking sunshine: instrumental avant-garde metal doesn’t usually entice people on days like this.

Under the surface pool of generic, repetitive music there runs a faster current of revision, progression and vitality. You either appreciate the unique monstrosity of Dysrhythmia or you don’t but without bands like them, things would surely stagnate.

Photos: Hannah-Rachel Sunderland