Doomriders / Disfear

Doomriders may be best known by the members that make it up. Fronted by Converge bassist Nate Newton on guitar and vocals with ex-members of Cave In and Cast Iron Hike, they are somewhat of a MA hardcore supergroup. Their single track on this split, “Crooked Path” is a slow-paced galloping track that rides along for five minutes. Sonically, it sounds like an exact musical match for the Skeletor-on-a-horse cover art of the 2006 full-length, Black Thunder, complete with evil harmonized guitars and a consistent driving beat. I think “Crooked Path” really hits its stride near the end with a cool guitar-and-drum groove before bursting back for two more trips through the chorus. My only complaint is that this track might make more sense as an album cut rather than as a single side of a 7", but it works all the same.

Disfear took many accolades for last year’s Live the Storm full-length and no Disfear review would be complete without a mention that vocalist Tomas Lindberg was the frontman for melodic death metal legends At the Gates. Their contribution to this split is the song “Fear and Trembling,” which makes for a good match to the Doomriders track. It is similar to that song in many ways as it breaks five minutes and features slow harmonized guitars over fast drums. The drummer utilizes the familiar D-beat as Lindberg’s throaty yell is buried beneath layers of distorted guitars. Like “Crooked Path,” it’s an exhausting listen that brings to mind a long, sweaty struggle.

This split is a success beyond the solid contributions from both bands in that the songs complement each other perfectly. Ultimately, this 7" just makes me wish they would release a longer split, especially since I enjoy both bands, but I rarely make it through a full album of either. Lastly, the packaging features a huge fold-out poster that makes the physical product that much more appealing.