SHORT BUT SWEET: OBLIVIONIZED – “NULLIFY THE CYCLE”

Last August, I went nuts over Abhorrent Evolution, the debut EP by a London-based collective with the apt name of Oblivionized. I compared the listening experience to “being backed against a wall with a firehose spewing sulphuric acid at full force, straight at your unprotected self” and called the music “super-charged metal at a hyperdrive pace, a tech-grind portrait of the 7th Circle of Hell, music with the sensibilities of a ravenous demon horde set loose after a milennial imprisonment.” And there were more metaphors.

Now there are more songs. Oblivionized has just released a new three-song EP called Nullify the Cycle through Grindcore Karaoke, which has made the music available for free download on Bandcamp (in exchange for your e-mail address).

Oblivionized prove again that they are a band to watch very closely. Listening to “The Nullification of Philanthropy” and “Cycle of Deprivation” is like being dropped without warning into a war zone. Combining an array of corroded, swirling guitar leads and vicious chugs, the band vent their fury with megawatt power. But the music isn’t an explosion of chaos. It’s technically demanding and filled with sharp changes in rhythm; this mechanized assault is well-coordinated and impressively executed.

Once again, the drumming is a standout, not only because it’s physically demanding but also because the changes in patterns and sounds is so damned interesting and so tightly integrated with all the abrupt shifts in the rhythm and the riffing techniques. The vocal dualism is also a key feature of the music, alternating between hair-on-fire wildness and predatory roaring, and sometimes with the two voices layered  together.

But it turns out that Oblivionized are capable of more than unleashing cathartic detonations of death-grind rage. The third song, “Nullify the Cycle”, is a surprising change of pace and style. It’s slow and hypnotic, beginning with chanted vocals and moving into a melodious instrumental that combines a solitary guitar and echoing bursts of electronic percussion. And then we find . . . clean vocals! And good ones, at that. And the notes of a piano! “Nullify the Cycle” is bleak, dreamlike, and memorable — a sharp and satisfying contrast with the EP’s first two songs.

In a nutshell, I highly recommend Nullify the Cycle. You can download the EP at this page. The download includes the cover art as well as a digital booklet with more art and lyrics. You can find Oblivionized on Facebook here.

Now, do yourself a favor and stream the songs below: