Dragbody
An Inheritance of Detriment
Lifeforce
As displayed on An Inheritance of Detriment, Dragbody have evolved from a routine metal-core band with angular proclivities into a full-on math-metal juggernaut. A German import, the CD collects the Orlando band’s four 7-inches, which eventually culminated in their fully realized debut album, the appropriately titled Flip the Kill Switch. In their earliest stages (1996), Dragbody were squarely within metallic hardcore territory, often punctuating their chugga-chugga riffs with diddly high-fretboard work – even then, a sign of brighter things to come. Soon enough, the quintet became more adventurous in their song structures, freely moving about on all kinds of non-linear trajectories but never losing sight of the scraped idea at hand, thereby moving from Snapcasey stomps to oft-kilter yet kill-ready gallops. And what lastly emerged – the “Swallowing Razors”/”Most Bitter Gift” 7-inch – was the ashen aesthetic Dragbody would arrive at on their first long-player (both songs were re-recorded for the debut). Again, Flip the Kill Switch is Dragbody’s finest (and most recommended) work thus far, but An Inheritance of Detriment works well as the proverbial band-finding-their-footing curio – no need to dust off those singles now.
Lifeforce, P.O. Box 101106, 04011 Leipzig, Germany; http://www.carteldistribution.com
