Disparager-Timeless, Ageless

Self-Release
2014

Only a year old now, Brooklyn, New York’s Disparager offer up their first studio piece with "Timeless, Ageless". The band's debut EP was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Jay Maas (Defeater, Bane, H2O, American Nightmare, Polar Bear) and for a relatively new project the musicians involved here (Chris AhKao – guitar, vocals, bass and Peter Meluso – drums) did a rock-steady job of capturing their post-hardcore/ post-metal (and post-rock if you really want to be technical about it!) sound on tape. Opening number "Picture" only has a run-time of 3:26 and yet this (post-metal/progressive metal) heavy rock track covers so much ground that you'd swear that it was originally meant to provide a lifetime's worth of rocking out! From there the band serves up as much metallic fury as humanly possible (presented here in blood red color via post-Black Sabbath riffs and time-signatures that would seem to reflect a certain for knowledge of  heavily experimental bands such as Tool, Neurosis, Isis and even Fugazi ) while taking a detour on a number like "Gratitude" in order to take in the sights and sounds of groups like Mastodon, Deftones, The Mars Volta, Sevendust, Nothingface and Thrice. Frontman Chris AhKao is at his best though on a track like "R.I.P. Bill Hicks" as here (over-top of hardened, slick & sick as fuck, post-Refused guitar rock) his wicked as shit voice takes on a greater sense of urgency. It's almost as if he seems to want to shout down the crumbling word that surrounds him while he's simultaneously being tossed about by wave after wave of  people and their frustrating state of apathy! As Chris himself explains it Disparager's music is meant to showcase a "refusal to settle, to compromise, to live any other life than that inspired by unwavering intent, self-expression and integrity." To that end Chris and the band, which is pictured below in it's full live and in living color line-up, hit the nail on the top of the head PERFECTLY. And by perfectly one should also mention that it means by way of post-hardcore/post-metal ass kicking! Just when you think that you've got the band pegged though they pull out the acoustic guitars on "At Least I Still Have Bon Iver", a number that is perfectly self-described as "half folk song, half crushing mix of Isis and Slayer". Where did that come from? Other then from out of nowhere I mean! It's different, but in the sense that it's a different example of this group's devastating assault on the senses! And in the end that's what this little display of sonic post-rock and roll/post metal is all about-assaulting the senses! What a damn fine state that proves to me...

L-R:  Chris AhKao (guitar, vocals), Jason Kim (guitar), Peter Meluso (drums), Sri Rao (bass) – Photo credit:  Merissa Blitz

http://disparager.bandcamp.com/releases