Distant – Tsukuyomi: The Origin
Release Date: 22nd November 2024
Label: Century Media
Bandcamp
Genre: Deathcore, Beatdown, Down-tempo.
FFO: Castiel, Bodysnatcher, Paleface, Mental Cruelty, Spite.
Review By: Mike Leighton
The own-tempo deathcore heavyweights in Distant, are gearing up to release their 4th full length album, Tsukuyomi: The Origin on November 22 this year and the deathcore world is not ready! Filled to the brim with blast beats, melodic guitar solos, soul crushing riffs, and devastating vocal deliveries, Distant have fully realized their sound on this one, and it’s only uphill from here! With Alan Grnja doing vocals, Nouri Yetgin and Vladimir Golic on guitars, Elmer Maurits on bass guitar, and Shainel Ramharakh on drums, Distant is set to drop their new album, Tsukuyomi: The Origin, through Century Media Records!
The introduction track, Pale Moonlight, starts off with an ominous riff that is reminiscent of a shamisen in traditional Japanese music. They quickly juxtapose this with some bass heavy electronic/techno elements before giving us our first taste of the (newly refined) signature down-tempo guitars that Distant is known for. Flooded with blast beats and destructive vocals from vocalist Alan Grnja, this track is the perfect taste of what is to come throughout this album. The second track (and third single for this album), Fleshweaver, is a heavy in-your-face and unrelenting track. This single takes Distant’s tried and true formula and increases the “heaviness” scale thousand-fold. The mix of Alan’s high notes, sounds clips, and the insane drum delivery from Shainel Ramharakh make this track one of the heaviest on the album and will certainly be a destructive force to behold live!
Feast Of Misery is as non-stop intense as the last track, giving no reprieve for the listener. It further highlights Distant’s refined production, improved vocals and overall killer instrumental composition so far on this album. The addition of more guitar solos and riffs throughout the album really shows the growth that Distant has seen since their last album, and I think people will really enjoy it! The fourth and final single that was released, Tortuous Symphony, features none other than Matt Heafy of Trivium and Ibaraki! Matt’s vocals are an extremely welcome addition to the aforementioned heaviness that Distant already brings. His vocals add a fresh new layer that was unexpected but very much appreciated! I’m crossing my fingers for a potential tour between Distant and Trivium in the future!
Next, we have one of the first singles, and a personal favorite, Loveless Suffering. This track gave fans their first taste of what Distant was cooking up with Tsukuyomi: The Origin before it was announced! This track has something for every fan as it is an incredibly well-rounded single, making it a clear pick for initial release! Next, we have another single, The Undying, which has everything a fan of Distant and deathcore could ever ask for. From the down-tempo guitars, otherworldly vocal delivery, and blistering solo riffs, all the way down to the brutal onslaught of drums, Distant does not hold anything back on this one.
Finally, we begin delving into the re-recorded tracks from their original 2017 Tsukuyomi EP that started it all! Although the transition between The Undying and The Apex is not as clean as one might expect, these newly recorded tracks are very well done, and sound fantastic compared to already great original material! The Apex is another “intro” track, so there’s not a ton to digest that we haven’t heard yet. It’s still a great track nonetheless and provides a good segue into some tracks that fans already know and love! Speaking of, we have Acolytes of Damnation next, and this track really packs a punch, not only with the improved production but the vocals, drums and guitars really highlight just how Distant have refined their signature sound since the birth of these tracks in 2017. It almost feels like greeting an old friend many years later and finding them to be both older and wiser.
The title track, Tsukuyomi, starts off even more ominous than the opening track was, building and eventually crashing into something abrupt and intense. This track captures both the sound and atmosphere of current-era Distant while still holding true to the older, nostalgic sound. Next, Malice, originally featuring Osiah, now features another fan favorite, David Simmonich of Signs of the Swarm. I enjoyed this new take on the original song, even if they didn’t change much; Alan and David really mesh well, and I hope they do more collaborations in the future! Finally, Broken Cross, while being more of an outro track than anything, continues to highlight the growth Distant has shown since the release of the original Tsukuyomi EP and the evolution in sound that this new album has shown for the band!
Overall, the new album, Tsukuyomi: The Origin, holds true to the sound that Distant has been cultivating over the last several years. Not only does it continue to progress their sound in terms of production and refinement, but it also pays a special homage to the release that started them on their current trajectory! If you’re a fan of Distant, down-tempo guitars, lore filled story albums or just deathcore in general, you need to check out Tsukuyomi: The Origin!
(4.5 / 5)
