Often-times, the slam genre is full of bands that simply want to slam and slam some more. There’s nothing of substance beyond the initial adrenaline rush of a good moshing riff. Dysentery are one of the bands that have been able to avoid that stigma over the years, and their third full-length album, Fragments, is no exception.
With the longest tracks clocking in at just past the three minute mark, it’s clear that Fragments trims the fat and goes right to the good stuff. Of course, super-low guttural vocals and slams will be par for the course on many a track, but the way that they are integrated into the overall structure keeps Dysentery from being monotonous. But when the slams come, they are monstrous. “Veiled Narcissism” and “Reflection of Repugnance” contain some of the heaviest, but quick tempo changes in tracks like “Divinity from the Void” and “Paranoid Division” are what hold the whole thing together. It’s this simple dynamic change that keeps things from feeling so repetitive. Lastly, the opening “Onset” also showcases an example of an intro that effectively builds things up before decimating them the second that “Led to Terminal Ignorance” begins.
Fragments may not entirely change your mind on the whole slam genre, but it’s an example of how to put things together correctly. The album holds up for a number of subsequent listens, capitalizing on some effective slams that are aided by some interesting tempo changes and pitch squeals. An album meant to be cranked at full volume.