Melancholy Pessimism
Inconsistent World

Who are these guys with this reassuring moniker, this reassuring CD, and this beautiful cover (this time you can't deny it)?

They are yet another group coming from the Czech Republic; they don't have a website, no one knows them, and it's likely that those who do pretend otherwise. But as sometimes happens, the lesser-known bands are the most valuable.

The Melancholy Pessimism fit into the long list of bands that inexplicably, in the Czech Republic, decide to play Death metal: here we have Alienation Mental and Godless Truth (hard and pure Brutal Death), Reek Of Shits, Disfigured Corpse, and Fleshless (old-school Grindcore), Hypnos (a somewhat peculiar European-style Death Metal). Melancholy Pessimism, however, opt for an unusual mix between Brutal Death and sociopolitical themes typical of Grind à la Napalm Death; their main influences in the musical realm are American Brutal Death bands, but especially (and here some will widen their eyes) Cryptopsy. This comes from someone who not only adores the Canadians but also knows them very well and cannot help but notice numerous similarities on a songwriting level. What amazes about this group, as well as all their compatriots, is that apart from Hypnos, no one adheres to the European Death style, as, for example, happens in neighboring Poland; everyone opts for raw material from overseas. There are no references to the old continent's scene at all, and everything is devoted to the most ruthless violence. However, in their plans, there is the ambitious goal of creating annoying and contrasting sounds, much like their appearance on the back of the CD; five beefy long-haired men with quite angry expressions dressed in suit and tie.

The essence of their proposal is essentially contained in that photo; a sadistic game of beauty and ugliness, good and evil hurled at the listener with fierce sarcasm. It starts with “Paradox Life,” emblematic of what I mentioned earlier; the intro is entrusted to the notes of “Wonderful World” suffocated by feedback of explosions and gunfire that well set the CD's atmosphere, which is total distrust towards humanity. From here, “Inconsistent World” unfolds among these embarrassing mockeries that would manage to dishearten with their amazing dose of cynicism even the most indifferent person. It shifts from “Melancholy Pessimism,” opened by a true classical music canon performed by the band with guitars (from which you can understand their musical preparation), to the blues interruption of “Prison Of Society,” followed by a crazed outburst that cannot help but remind us of a certain “Torture Garden” (proportions respected). I'll try not to indulge too much in this delightful (self)destruction of optimism to also provide some technical details.

As already mentioned, they draw especially from early Cryptopsy, which is the best in my opinion, including “Blasphemy Made Flesh” and the masterpiece “None So Vile”: as might be expected, the technical and compositional level is a notch below the aforementioned records, but undeniably, it is a valid attempt to catch up. The album is released in 1999 and, as strange as it may be, it anticipates in large part what conceptually the New York Skinless will express in the immediately following years, as if the anger against the system by Napalm Death and Assuck stopped believing even in itself. Failure, in short, realizing that everything is useless but being unable to resign and put aside the rancor, expressed in this case by the grinning and amused portrayal of a world falling apart.

Technically speaking, Melancholy Pessimism are very, very good: the drummer, not very lively in terms of creativity, manages to hold any tempo and change it whenever he pleases. Stop and Go and counter-tempos are the order of the day just like a fantastic yet risky use of cymbals rarely found in underground groups. Especially noteworthy is the performance of the two guitarists, who manage to intertwine complex riffs, alternating well between simple power and the bursts of madness typical of Canadians. Super fast scales followed by heavy, rock-like slowdowns skillfully converted back into stabs. Less convincing are the solos, also similar to Cryptopsy's, but this time, not up to par. However, the growling of the singer is stunning, deep and angry but skillfully alternated with some of the best and most delirious screaming around (very similar to Pig Destroyer's), also contributing greatly to making the atmosphere unbearable. The bassist completes this picture with explosive breaks demonstrating his skill and further confirming the alignment with American Brutal Death. A surprisingly adequate production for an underground (under, under, under) band that I don't believe has an infinite budget is also impressive; the instruments are highlighted without exception, and the mood benefits from it.

The first word of judgment that comes to mind is “unpleasant”: unpleasant sensorily, unpleasant emotionally, unpleasant (though I tend to agree) ideologically. A new dimension of melancholy extending to the universal, a new irreverent way of looking at death and social injustices, hypocritically hidden behind optimism; “Inconsistent World” revels in its effects, and by the end of the album, concluded with the grotesque and ridiculous “Brisket” (which sounds like a poorly and coarsely sung popular song from their country), you will find yourself on its same position. It's a pity that among the fifteen tracks there are some very brief, more blatantly Grind (traceable to “Scum” by Napalm Death) that lower the quality average and, paradoxically, interrupt the mood.

An excellent album for a virtually unknown band bearing a message as dangerous as it is sadly realistic: approach only if you are ready to laugh at tragedies.