Label: NIghtbreaker Productions
Band: Droid
Origin: Canada
This may indeed be the Droid you are looking for. The progressive thrashers from Ontario, Canada have released an album that incorporates everything that is awesome. It’s considered progressive, but with the raw energy of thrash metal. These guys have an eclectic mix that just screams enthusiasm with this debut album ‘Terrestrial Mutations’.
Even the band name is very, very awesome. The sci-fi theme is something that always appeals to me and with a sound that puts them in league with the likes of Voivod (yes I went there), we’ve got some fun listening time ahead of us. The band has been releasing some stuff before, but since 2012 this is their first full length. It’s rather important for me to note, that they were called Wesley Crusher before, the character from Star Trek played by Wil Wheaton. Since my blog originally was titled ‘Wheaton’s Law’, I think we have a click.
The sound is remarkably clean, with a lot of space for frivolous guitar fidgetting and kick-ass riffing. The freedom that a lack of distortion allows is definitely a contributing factor to a great sound that is vibrant and full of crackling energy. The listening pleasure Droid offers stems from the same source, which also allows some little reverb here and there to make things sound just bigger than they are. What I’m also quite amazed by, his the freedom you feel in their music. Listen to the at times almost post-metal sounding ‘Temptation of Terminal Progress’, with its spun out passages. Sometimes it’s that little guitar riff in the thrashing, vibrant sound, like on ‘Abandoned Celestial State’ that does the trick in grabbing your attention.
At times the band has the frantic thrashy energy, that even leans towards some first wave black metal at times. Other moments, the vibe is much more old school thrash or even straight-up rock’n’roll. The futuristic themes and effects often add a different flavor to the music, that is hard to really pin down the style. On ‘Mission Drift’ it even seems like the band leans towards some mathcore at times. Just saying, this album is awesome. If a beardy guy in brown robes comes up to tell you this isn’t your thing, just tell him to fuck off.