Dismantled – Post Nuclear – Review

Dismantled

Post Nuclear (Metropolis)
by DJ Carrion

Dismantled launch their sophomore album, Post Nuclear, a 10-track collection that’s not geared to the dance floor, but more towards the ears of the listener. It offers complex soundscapes and strong songwriting that makes you listen deeper and deeper into the album. It’s also received praise from the likes of Davey Havok of AFI, Daniel Myer of Haujobb, and ID Software’s Christian Antkow, who personally contributed a remix to the “Exit” single while hard at work on Doom 3.

A rollercoaster of an album, some songs start off slow and predictable only to drop you into a freefall whirlwind of harsh screaming and rapid, militant beats. A prime example would be “The Swarm,” which shows the versatility of Dismantled at their best. It begins with a throbbing bass line before winding down and thrusting the listener into the chorus, surprisingly up-beat and accessible, while at the same time edgy and aggressive.

One thing to point out is the excellent transition from “Cornered” into “Exit.” As “Cornered” winds down with a droning atmosphere building behind a haunting piano piece, the melody seems to drift off before coming back in full force as “Exit,” where it serves as the key driving force with pounding drum beats and vocals full with raw energy and emotion. The track’s ending overflows with melody as piano solos, strings, and a pounding bassline overwhelm and draw you into the dense melodic soundscape Dismantled is so well-known for.

Those who saw Dismantled play live in 2003 noticed the dramatic difference from the album sound to the live sound as more organic and less synthesized. Barely any vocal treatment – which the first album relied so heavily on – which spawned the comparison to Front Line Assembly in the first place. Post Nuclear captures this difference and incorporates elements from ’80s New Wave to rock in order to give the band a unique musical identify, a great achievement in itself.
(PO Box 54307 Philadelphia, PA 19105)