Geostygma - The Die Is Cast

Man, it's been a while since we have covered any tech death on here, but that doesn't mean I have fallen out of love with the genre. In fact I think I might describe myself as ore fascinated than ever with the new crop of bands that has come up to breathe new life in the genre. Today I'm bringing you something from an old friend of the blog, Geostygma. This is a French techdeath band who are bringing it at a totally different level with an intensity and execution that puts them in a league that is wholly their own.

Fusing touches of jazz and hardcore into their punishing grooves Geostygma is tech death that isn't afraid to nod at the varied listening of its core members. the band has opted for a mere four songs on its debut EP, but these four songs give a sense of having trimmed the fat. Every moment on this debut feels necessary. Rather than drowning you in masturbatory guitars and showy instrumental passages the band instead chooses to beat you over the head with riffs and a concise, punishing delivery. Excellently produced with rich soundscapes ringing out a demonic song to the nations, The Die Is Cast forces you to choke on a bitter multifaceted pill.

Unafraid to embrace the bizarre and oftentimes sitting firmly on the weirder end of the spectrum, The Die Is Cast is a swaggering opening salvo from these Frenchmen. The angular assault and generally balls out torment brought with every crushing second of the EP is thrilling. In a world where a lot of tech death has gotten lost up its own ass, Geostygma place a heavy emphasis on groove, melody and song structures. The slamming breakdowns juxtaposed by jazz breaks are fun and weird, the tight production is dynamic and the sense that this is the end has never been more palatable.

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