Album Review: Fermentor – Continuance (Self Released)

There are many cases of high-class musical chemistry, but that of Dylan Marks and Adam Wollach is one of the best to emerge from the packed San Diego scene. Fermentor, their longest running partnership, is a band that dares to defy listeners expectations of what instrumental metal can be. After experimenting on two EPs and a demo, the duo are finally ready to announce their first full-length, entitled Continuance, out on August 14th 2020.

The duo that is Fermentor really showcase just what can be accomplished musically when you have a ton of focus and the previously mentioned chemistry. The duo’s technical side balanced well with a chuggy death sound, elements of thrashy guitars and off-beat rhythms.

The opening track, The Stench is a great example of that balance whereas Thunderboss is a bit more full-on in the heavy department. Aside from a melodic drop right at the end, it is a battering of guitars and drums.

Although it’s not like Mechanism changes that. Whereas The Decay of Western Society is ear-bleeding noise with drumming that is simply off the wall and the riffs have a bit more thrash to them.

Seventh Circle is a bit more straight-forward in its crunchiness (as far as Fermentor can be). Landbridge and Cotterpin keeps the fire burning brightly, Stage V has this rolling drum/guitar attack that is as excessive as anything heard so far and Cut N Shut is a short and forceful jab. It’s all interesting and very unique (for an instrumental band) although it would be false to say the mind isn’t getting a bit desensitised to constant flurry.

Thankfully, before it can fully shut down, Project Zeus wraps the album up with arguably the darkest and thrashiest sounding track of the bunch.

Fermentor – Continuance Full Track Listing:

1. The Stench
2. Thunderboss
3. Mechanism
4. The Decay of Western Society
5. Seventh Circle
6. Landbridge
7. Cotterpin
8. Stage V
9. Cut N Shut
10. Project Zeus

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook