Rorcal / Process of Guilt – Split
It’s always difficult to decide what to do with splits. Sometimes we have a battle between bands, our own imaginary battle, and the victor gets to claim the title that results in some words posted on our site here and that’s about it. Or, we ahave a new feature called “SPLITting Headache”, but decided it works best for a selection of splits, at least four, similar to our Cassette Assault feature where we hit up a bunch of tapes. So this one, yeah, been sitting on it awhile, apologies. Not sure why, either, because it kills to the level of mass murderer or, actually, better to say tyrant. It’s so tyrannical it will stake claim of ownership in any country in which it’s played. And the good thing about it is, one, it’s a proper split, meaning both bands are given good space to develop and one doesn’t outweigh the other in terms of content, and two, well, yeah, that was two. The balance here is also interesting in that both bands present a distinct picture separately, but it’s so purposeful in how it works there can be no confusion, for tyranny has a new champion.
First comes Switzerland’s Rorcal, who toss out a number of potential genre tags, though black and drone seem the most suited in terms of what you’ll hear. You get are three tracks, titled with Roman numerals from IX to XI, and it appears to be an extension of a release from 2013 called Világvége. Click on that link and you’ll see what we mean. They’ve done some work with acts like KK Null, so their command of atmosphere is definitely there, but when combined with a black metal approach it forms a different picture. Imagine taking the space of drone, turning that into dissonant chords that drive forward with speed like someone in the midst of mania stabbing you repeatedly with a double-edged blade, and the result is to be found herein. This approach carries into the next two tracks, though each has a slightly different feel developed primarily through the atmosphere of the chords, in particular. But it’s all something like being stabbed repeatedly to the degree that not a single new wound is felt, each riff biting, tearing at sinews, bleeding out your innards until it surprises you you’re filled with that much blood. They finish off their half of the split with some hefty slowdown, which leads then into Process of Guilt.
Perfect combination, let us say more directly since our earlier artspeak may have been something too obscure to decipher. So Rorcal’s laid you out pretty good by this point, covered in stab and slash wounds bleeding everywhere. You found yourself tossed around in a whirlwind of blades, vainly deflecting blows, and then, after your blood has split all those wounds are cauterized, and Portugal’s Process of Guilt is who’s putting the heated metal against your flesh. By the end of Rorcal’s half, this split then descends into dark drone with rotating sounds of industry covered in echoing screams. You’re dipped into a lull, a lull of blood loss, and then there comes that fire, it heats up cold steel, and these guys press it against your body, letting you coagulate and clot as you absorb the rest of the split. These guys pull out some impressive slam with their tracks, and it’s the perfect counterbalance to the speed presented by Rorcal in the first half. Things increase in tempo by song two, “Liar: Movement II”, including some bizarre guitar effects that warp around the speakers. It all ends with a complete feedback overload that lapses you into a coma, as you breathe in the scent of burning flesh from the rest of the pummeling they provide. Really this is a spectacular combination if there ever was one, front to back. Great stuff, and make sure you check out the work of both of these bands in separation, well worth it.
Process of Guilt Official Facebook
Written by Stanley Stepanic
Rorcal / Process of Guilt – Split (LP and Cassette)
Cal of Ror Records, Bleak Recordings, Lost Pilgrims Records,Wolves and Vibrancy Records, GPS Prod., Chaosphere Recordings, Nooirax Producciones, Labyrinth Productions
4.8 / 5
