Local Review: Tera Vega – Seeds of Dissent

Tera Vega
Seeds of Dissent

Self-Released
Street: 10.16.13
Tera Vega = Mushroom Head + Mudvayne + David Bowie

I love a band with humor, and just the album cover of this band makes me chuckle with music reviewer delight. Tera Vega, like Terra Vega the fertilizer, and Seeds of Dissent, like—well, if I have to spell it out for you, you really shouldn’t be reading this. Think of it as a rocket ship ride you’re just not tall enough to enter, and in that, think of this album like a motherfucking rocket ship of metal awesomeness that makes no stops and sails off to oblivion.

Track one, “Vict’ry,” is a self-reflecting romp that says goodbye to earth and drums you into head-twitching mayhem. With a splash of lyrical awareness and thought-provoking chants sitting on top of evil, thrashing guitars, you get the idea that the gods of metal must be shining down from space. (Metal gods are from space. This is known.) “Undying” is next and has the perfect balance of passion and confidence, propelling it to the heavens. The vocals are just beautiful, and you feel every word spoken. Goosebumps and vicious scales later, the song drops into a concert-jumping finish, leaving you breathless like good sex.

If you look out the window of the rocket ship now, you might see David Bowie guarding the stars, because we’ve definitely entered the poppy side of the galaxy. “The Drowning of Eve” is not the suffocating tune the name implies, but, rather, an upbeat analogy geared toward fatal confrontations and promising altercations. “The Art of Hypocrisy” is more of the same catchy metal goodness, and you really start to appreciate the rhythm breaks that appear throughout the album in this tune. The vocals soar in these moments, and the drums quiet down just enough to keep you nodding along. “Parallels and Abstracts” rocks enough to make glass houses nervous, while “The Alchemist and The Anarchist” features some of the most engaging guitar work of the album.

We’ve finally entered the Milky Way with the sweet sexy goodness of our last track, “Behind Your Lies.” The textured rhythm of the song is expertly executed to erratic exaltations (meaning it’s good), and this is what metal is all about: craft and melody through thundering drums and thrashing guitars—and Seeds of Dissent offers this in spades. So, buckle up, Utahns, and put on your big-kid shoes, because this is a ride you don’t want to miss. –Benjamin Tilton