Disembodied Existence: “Chapter 1: The Terrestrial Script” – complex, ambitious and intense metal!

Disembodied Existence is a Progressive/Technical modern metal band composed of members from around Metro Manila, Philippines. Splendid seems a strange term for a metal-type band, yet it applies to these guys. Relevant expectations include harsh and melodic vocals, amazing musicianship, and tons of atmosphere. This review cannot do justice to the varied combinations of heavy and delicate, powerful and subtle, and always rumbling with energy. If you’ve slowly matured from your head-banging self, into someone who prefers something of much more quality and substance, then with this band you’ve got it.

The first time I listened to their single “Chapter 1: The Terrestrial Script”, which will be included in their debut album to be released sometime next year, I immediately fell in love with this band. It is so complex, yet so harmonic with such a professional level of composition and execution. These are masterful musicians indeed.

When asked to explain the back story on the single, in an interview with TMN magazine recently, Disembodied Existence had this to say: “It’s an Idea about extraterrestrial life forms and reaching out to us. It’s more of them being more superior to us terrestrials, and it’s basically how the world came to be and how it will be. It’s about how we were helped by entities to develop what we have and keeping the resources abundant by maintaining a productive way of life without complicating it.”

All round here is a lot to like with this single. In a sea of metal bands that seem to blend together, they’ve really set themselves apart. Their sound is very much their own, and the musicality takes center stage. The band uses different musical influences, and notable scales and melodies that really interesting.

Technical metal is known for complex arrangements, impossible guitar parts and insanely busy drum fills. Something Disembodied Existence fulfil with comfortable ease. The end result is a track as complex, ambitious and intense as the idea of the song title might suggest.

From top to bottom “Chapter 1: The Terrestrial Script” presents groundbreaking polyrhythms, dramatic songwriting, and jaw-dropping virtuosity. The track kicks off with an ethereal atmospheric into and then swings into zero ambiguity regarding its mission statement, with blistering, insanely fast riffs and drum fills mixed with growling vocals and rolling bass lines.

The dynamic and doom-like tones are perfectly combined with ambient sounds and ear-piercing twin guitar harmonies. The contrast between the clarity of the notes in the lead motifs and the weight added by the rhythm section is one of the main attractions of this enticing release.

The crisp, clean and tight production of “Chapter 1: The Terrestrial Script” is unusual for metal standards, especially when the song slides into a slow enveloping section. Every drum fill and guitar solo can be fully appreciated, along with the delicate bass sounds and vocals which suddenly turns sweeter and melodic.

I could go on and on about how diverse and dynamic this single release is, but it certainly wouldn’t be comparable to picking it up and starting to absorb it. It is safe to assume that Disembodied Existence has put its efforts into exploring not just the depths of musicianship and technical prowess but a great deal of newer production possibilities too. It is pretty evident by the sound of it. Which makes me wonder about what to expect, and which highs the band will reach, when the album is finally released.

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