By Robbie Nevel
Many writers evoke drugs when describing Orbweaver‘s music, but it fails because there is in fact no drug on Earth that feels like their music sounds. No mix of meth, acid, weed, alcohol, or any color of pill could get the same results as this sludge-grind-core Miami foursome. Musically original and intense, the sounds on their debut EP, “Strange Transmissions From The Neuralnomicon,” are heard from no other band in history.
Vocalist and guitarist Randy Piro, guitarist Sally Gates, bassist Jason Ledgard, and drummer Scott Spasiano, come together to create something both brutal and brutally unique. The guitars slither through blast beats like the loudest most dissonant snakes you’ve ever heard. Going from snaky to chunky and back again, the rhythm section behind it all keeps the songs going in unexpected, strange directions. Sometimes the heaviness breaks and beautiful, twisted chill zones are sonically carved out. One can’t really tell what’s going to happen next in an Orbweaver song.
The music was being written well before the EP was recorded, and even before all the members were in the band.
“I began writing the music and lyrics in the summer of 2010 before I had the lineup completed,” Piro explained, “In 2011 we began playing the material live. During this time we tweaked specific parts and generally worked out the kinks. In 2012 we recorded the EP.”
They recorded the tracks with Jon Nunez of Torche fame, at his very own Pinecrust Studios. It was mastered in St. Petersburg by Brian Eliott at Mana Studios. According to Piro, the band “could not be more pleased with the results.”
“Neuralnomicon” starts with a swift punch to the brain. The opening track “Xoxotic” starts with a manic rolling beat, chugging riffs, and Piro’s growl. It’s an energetic opener, that prefaces the next two songs which were previously released. The fourth track, “Tragic Orbit: A Doomed, Cosmic Starship” starts off with droning detuned clean guitars and a dirge beat. It builds until peaking with a fury of machine gun riffs and blast beats. “The Church Warden Procedure” is a fittingly intense end piece. It bounces from grindcore to stoner/doom all with delightfully off-balance guitar lines.
In addition to the awesome sounds, the cover art is an evil, psychedelic stew (featuring creatures from the band’s own mythos) created by none other than Shroud Eater’s Jean Saiz.
If the recording satisfies your lust for something new in the world of heavy music, Orbweaver’s live experience would be worth taking a gander at.
“The EP is presented pretty much how we present ourselves live. The only exception would be the interludes or ‘noise’ sections between songs. These areas were always meant to be improvised, so they are a little different each night.” Piro
The band is independently selling the release right now in CD and digital formats on Bandcamp, while record label Primitive Violence currently offers limited edition cassettes – a portion of which comes with additional merch… although those have been selling quickly since the incredible EP release show at Churchill’s on August 1st with local heavy-hitters Rearpermanser, Shroud Eater, Holly Hunt, and the Tunnel.