Local Review: Dysfunction – The New Plague

Dysfunction
The New Plague

Self-Released
Street: 05.22
DYSFUNCTION = Carcass + Kreator – Obituary + Death

I’m pretty sure that Dysfunction is an appropriate name for these young devil worshippers from Bountiful. Since I have become a born-again Christian, I cannot condone or endorse one word that comes from any of these evildoers’ mouths. They even start the second track, “Descent,” with a quote from “Mark 5:9”: “What is thy name? And he answered, saying My name is Legion: for we are many.” These boys are straight-up telling me that the Devil has them firmly by the balls here. What kind of freaked me out was that in listening to the album, I thought they were dirty and unwashed like their filth-monger brothers in Carcass, but these unholy hell-bastards have taken another route and are completely clean-cut and attractive young men. I listened to the album a number of times, and I was impressed with their musical ability. They are tight players—I’ll give them that. I didn’t hear one sour ripping guitar lick or double bass fill on the album. All roads on this album lead to darkness, and Dysfunction has cornered the market on songwriting that doesn’t sound derivative or contrived in any way. The Dark Lord has taught these boys well, as they know their Satanism. At certain points, I could hear their music generate the necromancy needed to channel the voice of Motörhead vocalist Lemmy from beyond the grave, and at other times, the hard growl brought to mind some of the heavier metal bands I’ve heard in my travels. The only way I would recommend this album is if you’re gathered with all your Church of Satan brothers reading the Necronomicon (or you need an album after listening to Necronomicon, see what I did there?) and you’re getting ready to conjure a demon from the pit. Salt Lake City had better pray hard— these kids literally live about 15 minutes away from your house. –Jesus Cardenas