Dub Trio

Another Sound Is Dying

Ipecac



I’ll admit, the premonition that a dub group being released on Mike Patton’s Ipecac Records, intrigued the shit out of me when I first stumbled upon this release. And it’s an intriguing listen to say the least, especially for a group dropping the dub genre in it’s moniker. For starters, Another Sound Is Dying isn’t your daddy’s dub record, nor is it the same type of tunes your stoner roommate in college had blaring from his Marley poster-adorned, smoke filled bedroom; it’s a brand of dub that is far more cerebral than a delayed bassline and some upstroked bar chords over a slowed down 4/4 beat. Basically, this is a band that uses the most basic dub elements and lifts the genre to a completely different, heavy plane that surprisingly enough fits as equal parts Don Caballero, Angel Dust and King For A Day… era Faith No More (believe it or not), and—when Patton is guesting on “No Flag,” the record’s only track with vocals—Biohazard or Sick Of It All. Yes, this might sound like a bizarre combination of bands to associate with a band with some stripped down reggae influences, but their all here and the proof is in the recording itself. The record opening “Not For Nothing,” pushes the listener into their brand of tripped out, head-metal rather quickly, with an off-time guitar riff set over a pounding bassline, only to be stripped away to make headroom for a gaggle of effects and echoes which loom in the track for the first few minutes. The guitars feedback and interject into the track, as one might imagine in a typical dub composition, but with lots of low-end sustain and fuzz as opposed to the clean, compressed guitar tone one would likely hear on a platter from 1970’s Jamaica. However, the trio gets back to a more traditional musical nature with the album’s most concrete example of what these guys are capable of, paying homage to some of the dub masters with “Mortar Dub,” which sounds like it could be a classic recording. Lots of delays, effects, and a rolling reggae drum beat make, what could be the most out of place track on the record one of the most prominent. “Felicitation” ventures into a much more abstract take on the sound, adding a rather atmospheric bend to heavy instrumentalism for the song’s first half, relying on the rhythm section to do the dirty work, which allows the band to further accentuate their knack for reaching the outer limits of their respective musical arena. Other tracks that stand out are the deconstructed “The Midnight Rider,” which calls to mind the discordant jazz tempos of the aforementioned FNM records, and finishing off with a typical 90’s metal progression; “Agonist,” the record’s longest track, which delves deep into the psychedelic nature of classic dub sound and clashes it with some So-Cal speed-punk riffing; “Jog On,” the quickest blast of stoner rock one might ever hear; and the jah-infused, slow-metal burner of “Fuck What You Heard,” which might be the thesis statement for the whole record as it seems to balance out the slow, skank-inducing riddims with otherwise thunderous guitar work. On the whole, this record is quite fitting to be one of Ipecac’s new kids, and it’s no doubt why Patton picked these guys up after collaborating with them in the past on his Peeping Tom project and on one of their older releases as well. It will be interesting to see if Patton’s meathead contingency will pick up on this one like they do most other things he puts his hands on; but this might be a little too brainy for his legions of mosh-pit minions. Regardless, Another Sound Is Dying is a great versatile listen that spans multiple genres despite a band’s attempt to pigeonhole themselves into one. Most purveyors of heavy, time signature-ignoring music will find this one a true delight. And hippies be warned, this record will scare the shit out of you.

Dub Trio
Ipecac