Band:	Dissimulator
Album:	Lower Form Resistance
Style:	Technical death metal, Technical thrash metal
Release date:	January 2024

01. Neural Hack
02. Warped
03. Outer Phase
04. Automoil & Robotoil
05. Cybermorphism Mainframe
06. Hyperline Underflow
07. Lower Form Resistance


Do the newly formed Dissimulator hide any false pretences under their technical wizardry here?

Dissimulator are a Canadian technical thrash/death band founded in 2021, performing as a trio comprising Antoine Daigneault (bass), Philippe Boucher (drums), and Claude Leduc (vocals/guitars), all of whom are also members of the death metal band Chthe'ilist. The technical death sub-genre has proven to be something of a hit in Canadian metal over the years, with Gorguts, Quo Vadis, and Beyond Creation amongst the most well known acts from the region, alongside more recent acts such as Archspire and First Fragment. However, the Canadians are clearly no novices when it comes to sci-fi themed thrash either, what with the likes of Voivod hailing from the nation, and what Dissimulator bring here on debut album Lower Form Resistance is a remarkable blend of both technical death and thrash.

The album features seven tracks with a total running time of just over 40 minutes, kickstarted by the album's shortest song, "Neural Hack". At 4 minutes in length, this opener is short and ferocious, and acts as a great introduction for what lies ahead. From the off, you're hit by a tornado of furious technical riffs, rapid-fire drumming beats, and viciously deep gnarly OSDM growls. The style is almost reminiscent of a joint enterprise between Coroner and Voivod that subsequently met Death halfway, and it's an exhilarating combination, to say the least.

As the album continues, things only get more technical, ferocious and intense, with each member of the trio providing an electrifying performance. Perhaps the most noticeable performance is provided by former First Fragment and current Beyond Creation drummer Philippe Boucher, where he shows his expertise in the field of technicality through outrageous drum beats at unrelenting breakneck tempo, whilst always maintaining a certain level of groove. Structurally the album is ultra-complex, with several surprising groovy moments along the way, and is performed with such tight precision despite its utter relentless tempo and flow. With the help of some striking cyber synths and sci-fi inspired riff work, the album can even come across as mechanical, as if completely performed by some synthetic cyborgs rather than the work of actual human beings.

As technical and complex as the album may seem, there are also moments that stand out for a more melodic approach, "Automoil & Robotoil", for instance. This track may begin in the usual mad technical fashion, which could prove difficult to fully digest at first, but as the track goes on, the groovy rhythm and riffs become easier on the ears. "Lower Form Reistance" is another track with a slightly more melodic approach with the riff work in particular standing out in hookiness; it's also the only track featuring clean vocals.

One of the album's main highlights is "Cybermorphism Mainframe", the longest track featured on the album at over 8 minutes. The track begins with an intriguingly low-tempo twin guitar passage, before the drumming frantically and forcefully pounds its way in along with a high-speed groovy bass line, then an outrageously complex yet strikingly melodic riff pattern begins to take its shape. There are countless rhythm and tempo changes throughout this song, making it perhaps a challenging listen at first, but the shredding solo at the end makes it all worthwhile in the end. The final highlight worth mentioning is the track "Hyperline Underflow", where the riffs are somewhat heavier and the bass meatier, giving a slight hint of Cryptopsy at times. However, it's the wailing solo towards the end that leads into a frantic breakdown that makes for another standout moment on the album.

In terms of what technical death and thrash should offer, Lower Form Resistance ticks all the right boxes. Just when you think you're getting lost within its ridiculously complex structure, a groovy moment from a striking riff melody, or lead, might just hit you just when you least expect it. So, here's another trio with remarkable levels of musicianship skills to add to Canada's ever-growing reputation on the technical death scene. Now, what can these technical wizards offer us next, I wonder?