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Usually when I post about a band, my desire (other than presenting a decent post) is that you buy their music. (“Actionable” is the word I constantly keep in mind.) But Dysrhythmia are between records, their new one likely won’t come until next year, and their members are busy with other projects. Guitarist Kevin Hufnagel and bassist Colin Marston are playing in Gorguts, and drummer Jeff Eber is probably busy with his avant-jazz group Zevious.
So the action here is just to enjoy the above video. It’s of Dysrhythmia playing two new songs with sharp minds and sharp chops. The footage has very high video and audio quality. Dig Marston’s Anacrusis shirt; while Dysrhythmia aren’t a thrash band, spiritually they’re descended from the progressive spirit of “techno-thrash” bands like Anacrusis. I’m talking about new sounds, new ideas, and looking forward. You can’t put Dysrhythmia into a box; they sound like Dysrhythmia, and that’s it. Their individualism remains criminally under-appreciated to this day.
Actually, yes, do buy their music. 2009’s Psychic Maps was solid, but 2006’s Barriers and Passages was fantastic – deep, dark, angular, abstract. The whole catalogue will hold up over time, but if you must start somewhere, start with Barriers and Passages.
Also, another action is to get ready for the next post 
. . .
Savage!
Gotta dissent, I think Psychic Maps is their best by a long shot. But either way, hails.
I’d just like to take the opportunity to shout out Torsten and his Unartig video project. It’s no accident that the footage is of very high audio and video quality; this dude busts his ass and risks very expensive equipment in mosh pits to capture the New York scene. And he’s been doing it for a while, I think he’s got video on his site from Through Silver in Blood era Neurosis and the like. He’s also got some great footage of defeated sanity from the same show featured above. His vast site is:
http://unartignyc.com/
(I swear to satan that it’s a coincidence that krallice is the latest entry).
Totally with you, Cosmo, Barriers blew my mind in college and had some great dynamics. These guys are great, tasteful musicians and nice people. Colin’s biamped bass tone is so sick!
Jeff Eber proves that a good drummer sounds huge even on a small drumset, like the one shown in the video. How much “noise” would he make given a slightly bigger set? I can only dare to ponder.
sorry man- your similar post only became visible to me after i ’submitted’ mine! i wouldn’t have bothered had i seen yours first…
i like the fact that, to me at least, as a non-drummer, that looks like a pretty minimal drumset and that he is using his rhythmic imagination rather than jizzing off over some massive ‘neil peart’ style monster kit
but then i guess it doesn’t really matter what he uses as long as he sounds right for the music- i shouldn’t be an equipment snob!
As a drummer, I appreciate the same thing re: kit-size/imagination/jizzing for the same reason.
new Gorguts will rule harder than this
i don’t know if i’d go as far as to say it’s my favorite, but their 2003 release Pretest stands apart from all their other work for me. it’s still got the incredible creativity and musicianship, but it has a very austere sound and the notes have more space to breathe than their other records. i wouldn’t call the sound of their other records busy, because i think it’s clear these guys are too talented and smart to just be showing off their chops, but i think Pretest offers and interesting side of the band and their material.
Pretest seems to be the only Dysrhythmia album that I can get into. I agree that it seems like that album just has more room to breathe. Other Dysrhythmia songs/albums just seem too overwhelming to me. I should probably check out their earlier stuff. No disrespect to Colin Marston — I love Krallice — but after he joined the band, I just can’t be bothered to listen.
Won’t lie that I never checked these guys out after reading the descriptions. Big mistake. This band remind me of Tera Melos taking the more metal route but it’s a similar idea: three machine musicians just ripping apart the standards of genres. Tera Melos destroyed the noise rock/emo thing while these dudes take care of thrash and death metal and any band supposedly “progressive.”
Color me extremely impressed less with the playing and more that three minds collaborated so fluidly to create music with this many parts and the ability to play it all live. Much respect. The drummer has wicked groove and his rhythms are genius, there’s a part about 9 minutes in where he puts the kick drum on the 2 and 4 with the snare rolling and flamming just behind it, this dude really knows how to cut up his 4/4 and it’s obvious he counts the whole thing out. This kind of playing with interesting grooves and variant rhythm is WAAAAAAY more technical, harder to play, and more interesting to listen than the supposedly technical double bass drummers. My problem with that style is the lack of space. No space = no groove = no rhythm. Grooves must be felt to create the rhythm and this dude is FULL of grooves! Thanks for changing my little mind on this band.
The passage(s) from 3:10 to ~4:50 were enthralling. Big Dysrhythmia fan. Marston… wow.
Also, Anacrusis! From my hometown of St. Louis, MO. Aside from Uncle Tupelo, one of the only recent musical acts that have mattered outside the shadow of the Arch. Too bad I was like 8 yrs old when both were last active. I guess there’s always Chingy.