By: Peter Morsellino
Album Type: Full
Length
Date Released: 13/03/2020
Label: Zegema
Beach Records
“Old Patterns” CS//DD track listing:
1). Hamsteria
2). Salvia Is A Beach
3). New Patterns
4). Pole Disdain
5). Mind State Dependency
6). Old Stains
7). Planks
8). Body On Fire
9). Profound Loss
The Review:
Allentown's Orphan Donor brings noise music to
uncharted territory with “Old Patterns”. With a dense,
unforgiving atmosphere and breakneck speeds, Orphan Donor offer up the perfect
record for present times. Give a listen.
I think you'll understand.
From the first moments of album opener
“Hamsteria”, Orphan Donor's intentions are clear. Grating feedback is quickly met with a
chaotic drum solo before coming together in a fast paced cacophony. “Salvia
Is A Beach” offers up the same onslaught of sound while offering up a little
more structure and melody. This is one
you can move around to a little better. “New
Patterns” is generally a more mid paced number, which makes the return to
the albums brutal speed all the more appreciated. Other stand out tracks
include “Planks”, with its slowed
down doomy atmosphere standing in stark contrast to the rest of the album, “Old Stains” with a breakdown that
allows the bass to stand out in the mix, and the impressive closer, “Profound Loss”.
“Profound
Loss” is at once the most dissonant piece
on the album, while also showcasing a lighter sound, with much cleaner guitars
being picked throughout it. The sad plucking of these strings provides the
perfect backdrop for the continued driving pace of the album. They break the
tension and provide “Old Patterns” with the perfect
ending. Like a bleak acceptance after
you've burnt through your angry energy. Truly beautiful song writing there.
Musically, this album truly is
something to behold. With a sound reminiscent of the modern black gaze
movement, Orphan Donor chooses to not contrast their dirty sound with
a beautiful melodic piece, but rather with slowed down passages.
Throughout these tracks, one constant
holds true. That is the beauty that can be found in dirt and disharmony. This is loud, abrasive music, yes, but it's
true beauty lies in its representation. Not everything ugly has a beautiful
counterpoint. Not every low is resolved with a high. Sometimes things are just bleak. It's not a fun thought, but if you can
rationalize it you are in the perfect space to appreciate the music that is
presented here. Orphan Donor gift us with a soundtrack to our despair
without offering any false hope, and in a world full of false hopes and
promises, I am grateful for that.
“Old
Patterns” is available HERE
