There are albums that were released years ago that have been forgotten about, and then there are albums that were released years ago and need to be re-released so the current generation can have the opportunity to gift their ears with the music therein. Dystopia‘s Human=Garbage fits into the latter description, maintaing a relevant spot in today’s music industry. The LP is getting a reissue from Tankcrimes, and is streaming over at Cvlt Nation right now. Dystopia’s first record has age well, continuing to sound as dark and spastic as it must have 20 years ago.
“Stress Builds Character” is still as unsettling as it is honest. There are plenty of crushing vocal lines backed by pounding drums spread across the entire album, but the pure desperation heard in the vocal build up on “Stress Builds Character” is made all the more impactful by the rant of worthlessness in light of making a life. The track is still a perfect example of how to be dark while remaining heavy. The guitars on the album connect riff after riff of carnal feelings without coming off as cheesy. “Sanctity” is still disheartening as ever with the corrupt stories perfectly bleeding through the pulsing music. The spark that begins with the guttural vocals gives chills down the spine.
I could go on and on about Human=Garbage, but it needs to be heard. For people who have not heard this album but enjoy heavy music, give it a shot. It will not be found on spotify and it may actually be older than a lot of today’s metalcore listeners. It is always respectable to give credit where credit is due, and a lot of the current unsettling music traces its roots back to this album, which is on the level of misanthropic. There is some sort of beauty in how sludge music can be captivating while remaining polarizing, and Dystopia knew the formula too well.
Do yourself a favor and order a vinyl. Go ahead, take part in music history. Human=Garbage is a classic among fans of heavy music, and will always be an album to give up on the world with.
Pre-order your copy at: tankcrimes.merchtable.com
