“…ferociously heavy, with Meshuggah type angular time signatures, the abstract progressiveness of Car Bomb combined with the concrete welding riffage of Crowbar. It’s simply brutal. And yet, there’s a haunting, eerie feel to it with blasts of melody and more gentle passages that strangely juxtapose comfortably…” — The Razor’s Edge
UK web portal The Razor’s Edge is currently streaming 180-Degree Murder, the scorching debut EP from transatlantic extreme/progressive tech metal duo WESTON SUPER MAIM. The premiere comes on the eve of the offering’s official release via Dark Trail Records.
WESTON SUPER MAIM has been lurking in the shadows as a one-man recording project spearheaded by UK musician Tom Stevens (All Of Space, Brown Stratos) for some time, however 180-Degree Murder marks a new level of intent, with US-based Seth Detrick of Los Angeles thrash outfit PDP uniting with Stevens to handle vocal duties. Together the pair deliver a devastatingly heavy, surprisingly melodic journey through the extreme metal landscape.
Writes The Razor’s Edge in part, “With numerous styles curled tightly into this hard balled two-track EP, it’s a challenge to put a label onto the band. Indeed, why should you? The base line is that it is at times ferociously heavy, with Meshuggah type angular time signatures, the abstract progressiveness of Car Bomb combined with the concrete welding riffage of Crowbar. It’s simply brutal. And yet, there’s a haunting, eerie feel to it with blasts of melody and more gentle passages that strangely juxtapose comfortably. In particular, the longer of the two tracks, the nine-minute ‘We Need to Talk About Heaven’ ebbs and flows with a fluidity that belies the expected impact…”
Stream WESTON SUPER MAIM’s 180-Degree Murder, exclusively at The Razor’s Edge, at THIS LOCATION.
180-Degree Murder will be released on CD, vinyl, and digitally on all streaming platforms. For digital preorders, visit the WESTON SUPER MAIM Bandcamp page at THIS LOCATION. For CD and vinyl preorders, visit the Dark Trail Bandcamp page HERE.
Written as a single track, 180-Degree Murder traverses caveman heaviness, tech-driven grooves, and shifting melodic patterns to create an immersive experience that rewards multiple listens. The writing process for the EP began in 2019. By the time the pandemic hit, an early instrumental draft had already been recorded, but it wasn’t until Detrick joined the project in June 2020 that things really began to take shape. Making use of extra time at home in London during the first UK lockdown, Stevens retracked instruments for the EP at his home studio while Detrick developed lyrical ideas and vocal patterns from his home in Eugene, Oregon. Vocal tracking was completed in early 2021, and the mix not long thereafter.
Thematically, the EP is on one hand a disdainful take on the state of contemporary society and collective human behavior, with a healthy apocalyptic vibe. On another, it has a more complex, introspective element, with the epic sections of the music offering a counterpoint to the nihilism in the lyrics. Binding it all together is the work of UK collage artist JoyPolloi, somehow translating an intangible fifteen minutes of music into a single piece of abstract art, representing the final piece of the WESTON SUPER MAIM jigsaw.
“…technical madness…” — Metal Injection
“A mindfuck of a journey through the soundscapes of extreme metal. WESTON SUPER MAIM showcases eye-watering complexity, savage death metal groove, and unexpected touches of melody. The two tracks (although they flow into one another so may as well be one) that make up this EP are chaotic and intense. However, it’s not noise for the sake of noise.” — Games, Brrraaains & A Head-Banging Life
“Upon hitting play on this two-track EP, you’ll instantly be slapped with Meshuggah, then Car Bomb, then DEP then back to Meshuggah. It’s an addictive mix of influences that they nonetheless manage to make their own.” — A Certain Taste UK
“…a cacophony of hard slabs plus squalling bleeping fretwork, roaring, ground-razing vocals and an air of explosive violence as guttural roars set against the most pulverizing of riffs. Strapping Young Lad is the comparison that comes to mind, but then there’s also the relentless mechanised industrial blast of Wiseblood and Swans that’s also hard to ignore. Oh yes, this is hard and heavy, alright.” – Aural Aggravation
“…a wild, dissonant EP of power and chaos.” — Rockstar Superhero
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