The ‘issues’ in between Ukraine and Russia do not always infect ‘our’ sonic scene. I am talking about the collaboration of musicians, joining to start up a new project (or continuing an existing one), or labels from both countries taking care of the release and / or distribution of stuff from one of both countries (or another). So let’s get rid of those stupid, infantile, and especially: unnaturally constructed borders, artificial yet oh so narrow-minded (national-socialism needs brains!) constructions, because once again we have the opportunity to meet another border-trespassing collaboration; meet Dan Deagh Wealcan, based around a Russian and an Ukrainian musician, i.e. original member Mikhael A. Repp (Dan Deagh Wealcan were supposed to be a solo-outfit of this guy) and Ungrace’s Eugene Zoidze-Mishenkho.
With Two Straight Horizontal Lines And The Organized Chaos In Between: Director’s Cut, Dan Deagh Wealcan offer their debut, which has a total running time of thirty eight minutes. It’s a monstrous epos, created on the still smoky ashes of different (extreme) genres, with ‘modernism’ as keyword (despite quite some hints towards old styled trends of different kinds). Both stylistically as structurally, both song writing and performance are based on quite an open-minded view on heaviness and power, at the same time injected by craftsmanship, experiment(alism), the urge of trend-setting (though I am not always sure this specific thing convinces), and alternative ideas.
It would be way too easy, and totally narrow-minded, to label this stuff as ‘Extreme Modern Industrial Metal’, but it sort of covers the general idea. But there’s so much going on: Progressive and Modern Metal, Hardcore / Metalcore / Mathcore, Alternative Rock, Industrial, Harsh Electronics, D-Beat, Post-Metal, and so on. It comes with hints of Ephel Duath, Converge, Dillinger Escape Plan, Strapping Young Lad, but Ashcorn, Nine Inch Nails or Meshuggah do come to mind too.
My problem, however, is that I have the idea that these guy(s) are trying too hard, and therefor they do miss the point. It sounds forced and unnatural; too much is too much, and less might have been more. The ideas and intentions might have been full of conviction and persuasion, but the result misses its goal, I think. Of course that isn’t but my personal opinion, but as a (great) reviewer, I can express my own, totally subjective opinion / feeling, and that’s what I will do right now: Dan Deagh Wealcan please stop overdoing yourself and focus on the essence, because with Two Straight Horizontal Lines And The Organized Chaos In Between: Director’s Cut you’re terribly missing the bull’s eye. …though some Prog-freaks might just adore this stuff???