League of Distortion – Galvanize (Napalm)

Modern metal continues to find new ways of expressing itself. Some bands wisely choose to think outside of the traditional box, and it helps to give them a sound that not only explores more creative spaces, but makes them more attractive to listeners who might be a bit intimidated by the genre as a whole. League of Distortion started with this genre-blurring idea with their 2022 debut, and Galvanize does it’s best to bring this mentality even further forward. There’s a lot of heavy, distorted riffing to be found, but it’s in the group’s exploration of different tones and soundscapes that seems their strongest asset.

Combination of the harsh industrial and electronic elements, along with the thick, buzzing tone of Jim “Arro” Müller’s guitars, there’s a massive driving factor to the title track as it opens. Factor in Anna Brunner’s soaring yet occasionally raw screams, League of Distortion open up in a very incendiary fashion. “My Hate Will Go On,” dives further into those heavy, industrialized patterns while Brunner elevates the chorus into a glorious rock/metal sing-a-long with just the right amount of grime. Later cut “Crucify Me,” revels in some pounding electronic influences and danceable rhythms that are bound to even get some of the dyed-in-the-wool metal times to consider shaking a leg.

The way that they flirt with different elements makes Galvanize have some twists around each corner. Hooky, pop bouncing accompanies the verses of “Chainsaw” until it explodes with heaviness, reggae-esque grooves and beats open up “What’s Wrong With Her” as the band switches between urgent, distorted battery and uptempo horns and electronics, and “Anti-Hero” flirts with hip hop elements before moving into a rousing chorus. Even if they stick to a more metallic base, songs like “In Our DNA” and “Suck My Blood” swerve into punishingly heavy moments that allow the more melodic and electronic sections to feel more compelling and intriguing.

League of Distortion continue to push the genre boundaries with genuine flirtatious pleasure. Galvanize is nothing if not a fun and engaging album that keeps things heavy while delivering plenty of hooks that pull from a myriad of musical sources. They have a sound that is fresh and capable of leaving you waiting to hear what they are going to do next. There’s not a ton of new groups that come out of the gate that you can say that about. It’s worth an investigation to see if they hit the marks for you.