The Derision Cult - No Esteemed Deeds (2018) - In search of the industrial equilibrium

"No Esteemed Deeds" is the latest release from Chicago's single-man (Dave McAnally) band , The Derision Cult. From July 2014 until today the prolific musician has released 11 albums. What "No Esteemed Deeds" offers is industrial metal so charged in the electronic vibe and in the obscure posture that can be accidentally labeled darkwave. The songs are full of sample (mainly vocal-samples), something that White Zombie already been doing in the 90´s.

Slaves opens with muffled vocals, but they evolve to clarity as aggressiveness sets in, along with loaded guitars and resounding drums. Raw production gives a "live" feeling, but for a sound that uses multiple elements competing for space, a more meticulous production would might create a more cohesive feeling. The great duality on every industrial album resides in the balance of the use of electronic elements with heavy metal passages. Albatross embraces more the shadowy industrial side, easily classified as darkwave. On the other hand the track Get Out! is exciting from start to finish exactly for focusing all the energies on creating riffs and rhythms (maintaining still a electronic soul). This division is best fractionated in some tracks like Bring out the Dead that could perfectly have been created by Rob Zombie and The First Day that alternates the obscure sound with more suspenseful passages. The biggest highlight is Sunlight that invests in grooved guitars riffs (in a Rammstein fashion) and uses distortions to create an exciting chaotic environment.

Contrary to what most people think, to create an industrial harmonic sound is very difficult, it goes far beyond the task of inserting random samples into songs created with conventional instruments. The proportionality of synthetic and visceral is the great balance that every industrial band craves. And when a single man goes sole to do the whole thing, the assignment becomes Herculean, and this is more than enough reason for letting The Derision Cult have his cut.

TrackList
1. Slaves 06:51
2. Get Out! 04:05
3. Bring Out The Dead 04:14
4. Rocket Man 05:29
5. Pussy Grabs Back 03:48
6. One Generation 04:26
7. Legion 03:02
8. Albatross 04:06
9. The First Day 04:09
10. Sunlight 04:04
11. Shithole Country 02:52

Final conclusion:

Marcelo Hissa