REVIEW: Aseethe & Snow Burial, "Split"

By: Andre Almaraz

Album Type: Split Cassette

Date Released: 29/06/2018

Label: Hand of Death Records

With a sound that is as brutal and evocative as it is soothing and chaotic, this is a perfect pairing of two songs by two different bands joined together on one split.

“Split” CS//DD track listing:

1). Aseethe, “Wrong”

2). Snow Burial, “Sever The Bloodline”

The Review:

Coming soon on cassette tape and digital release by Hand Of Death Records is this split recording by two of the most impressive metal trios the midwestern United States has to offer; Iowa City’s Aseethe and Chicago’s Snow Burial.  The cassette will contain one song by each band on each side and is due to be released on 6/29/2018.

Aseethe’s contribution is a song titled “Wrong.”  Howling amplifier feedback fades in and then breaks into a classic four chord death march complete with guttural vocals right from the strum of the very first chord.  The primitive brutality is given a modern spin by the backbeat shuffle of the drummer which takes an otherwise straightforward part into the realm of something that feels slightly askew, as the band is known for doing.  The second riff builds chaos and suspense with a sinister blend of chords, chugs, and noise.  After a short rest, the backbeat death march returns but this time it’s with a howling vocal style which is a bit higher in pitch. This gives the part a more tortured and tormented feel than it had the first time around.  A pummeling third riff brings the track to another rest before a snare roll chimes in to lead the charge into the ending movement of the song;  a frenzied mesh of growls, howls, noise, and thunder.  On the subject of the split, the band states on their Facebook page that their song “is a bit different for us.”  If this is a new direction the band is currently experimenting with, I would highly encourage them to continue on this path because this is the most crushing Aseethe I’ve ever heard.

Now for Snow Burial’s contribution; a song they call “Sever The Bloodline.”  Huge guitar chords introduce the track before the other instruments kick in with a thunderous blast of brute force.  Once the vocals join the attack, you know instantly that this piece of music is seriously pissed off.  The mood teeters back and forth between sludge and post metal throughout the entire track and the inclusion of a laser sharp prog inspired middle section adds yet another precise dimension to the already devastating mixture.  The pristine subtlety of the drums makes the song shine brightly during this portion and lets you know that Snow Burial is purposefully on track to turn some heads in a big way.  Once the impressive middle movement morphs into the closing segment of the track, brutality and complexity coalesce in perfect horrifying harmony for a grand finale that assaults all the senses at once and without mercy.  The flawless interplay of the bass and drums combined with the guitar and vocals floating over the top throughout the entire song can be called nothing less than mastery of their craft as the differing levels of aggression build and break like ocean waves crashing against jagged rocks.

Each band here is extremely aggressive in their interpretation yet uniquely different in their delivery. Both outfits offer something that is sonically massive and each one produces an atmosphere that is recognizable to me as originating from the broad shoulders and clenched fists of the Midwestern United States. As a resident myself, I am proud to share a time zone with bands of this caliber.  With a sound that is as brutal and evocative as it is soothing and chaotic, this is a perfect pairing of two songs by two different bands joined together on one split. 

“Split”is available here

Band info: Aseethe|| Snow Burial