5 out of 5

Label: digital self-release

Produced by: ?

If I were to describe the metal subgenre of djent as being named based on the sound it’s focused on – a particular guitar sound – you may look at me askew. But if I say: “chugga chugga,” you’ll probably get it.

When having djent described to me (perhaps in more flowery ways than that), I internally cringed a bit. I love me some chugga chugga, but dedicated a subgenre to it… feels like it’s getting into the proto-metal territory of the early 00s that I know has some legit acts as well as nostalgia going for it, but also also has a lot of cringe. When I was suggested Fractalize as a djent archetype, I cringed the whole lead-up to hitting play, and indeed, it was the most chugga-chugga thing I’d ever heard.

Also, though, Fractalize is amazing. It seems logical that as soon as you start to explore some particular element, cringe-worthy or otherwise, you’ll find unique ways to use it, and Prophet of Despair manages to prove that thesis in 3 short tracks. The opening title track is perhaps the most “typical” application of djent, serving as a straight-forward rocker, but Fractalize’s precision, and smart production – warm, murky, but clinical – maps to their Giger-esque artwork perfectly; the song absolutely kills, without being too indulgent. (Being an instrumental act helps here a little bit – djent can fall back on yelly vocals to carry it through generic riffs; Fractalize let the music speak for itself.)

On ‘Visions,’ the group combines djent with some industrial clang, pairing a minimalist and maximalist approach – sparse drumming and riffs that suddenly explode into intensity. Additionally, a layer of ambience adds further gravity, giving the music something to play off of; the five minute track is able to get to a wonderfully intense conclusion. Finally, ‘Suneater’ makes an argument for the group as post-metal, sounding partially like an Old Man Gloom track or something, albeit with djent harmonic guitar work tossed on top.

You will not not bob your head to this music; you will not not play it on a loop. Unfortunately, you will also not find another djent act this solid.