Tag Archives: deadsea

CMC & Relay Recording release Columbus comp Saturday (2/13)

CMC+Relay Comp artwork by Clinton Reno
Album artwork by Mr. Clinton Reno
MP3:Bookmobile – Weekends of our Youth
MP3:Ben Schwabe – Crystal Branches

First a little disclosure right upfront- I’m an official part of the Columbus Music Co-op volunteer machine, so this is a project which is near to my heart. Looking beyond my obvious lack of objectivity, I think most of you reading this have some shared interest in the Columbus music community and will appreciate both the efforts and the results of this undertaking. Something like a year and half ago, a plan was hatched by Jon Fintel (Relay Recording) and Erin Moore of the CMC to provide a vehicle to showcase the variety and quality of music making in town. Of particular importance to the founders was the notion that equal attention should be given to young (high school age) artists, who would be showcased adjacent to more veteran musicians. Over the past year, Fintel donated over a 100 hours of studio time to record and master eleven original tracks, some of which are the first professional recordings made of the participants. All of them are available only on this compilation, which turns out to be a really strong collection.

On Saturday, February 13th Relay and the CMC will host the first of two CD release shows at Carabar, where copies of the compilation, complete with original album art, will be available for $5. In the spirit of providing a musical experience for young people, a second all ages and family-friendly multi-faceted release show is scheduled for Sunday, February 28th in the North Market Dispatch Test Kitchen from 1-5 pm. All bands are volunteering their time, so should any profits be made from shows or sales, they will go to fund the CMC’s Columbus Music Assistantship Program to provide emergency medical expense grants to working musicians in need. Keep reading below for additional information on bands, a track listing, and set times.
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Deadsea: Rising

MP3: Killing Faith by Deadsea

I’ve been known for saying that Deadsea are the world’s greatest metal trio and even if sophomore album Rising is a slight disappointment, I’ll stand by that proclamation. The hesher subculture has become increasingly fragmented over the years – there are so many genres of metal it’s hard to keep track. Somehow Deadsea gobble up all of it and use it to fuel their dark aural empire. It was that fusion of extremes that made Desiderata a punishing and transcendent maze.

Here things sound a bit frantic, as Rising has a heightened awareness of thrash. “Killing Faith (Crying Death)” in particular could be Sepultura on a meth binge as guitarist Adam Smith plays with unmatched speed leaving dizzying trails in his wake. The same agility propels “Assault,” another relentless sprint that manages to tap the spinal fluid of hardcore punk. Few bands keep their melodic leanings intact among such tenacity, but Deadsea seem to thrive in the midst of technical challenges.

My only hesitation with Rising, and this is really nitpicking, comes with song choice. The first two tracks, “Northwitch” and “Coming Home,” are longtime live staples and “Frozen Rivers” a tale told many times from the stage. I’m assuming though that Smith didn’t want these masterstrokes to remain buried and in the context of Rising, the newly recorded “Frozen Rivers” is a perfect fit as the album’s penultimate epic. Regardless of my qualms, connecting with Deadsea is a spiritual link. What Rising may lack in maledict adventure it easily makes up for in sheer power. It’s an altogether different mass.

Deadsea, 333, and Nightsoil are all releasing albums tonight at Ruby Tuesday’s in Columbus OH. Click here for more information.