Review: “Dirtmound” by Interpreter

Bringing to the plate their debut record “Dirtmound“, Nashville, Tennessee quartet Interpreter are keen to point out that they don’t just create in one sub genre of Metal despite being labeled something of a Technical Deathcore outfit by anyone who happens to be listening. Wade Turner (Vocals), Ryan Waldron (Guitar), Jeremy Arvin (Bass) and Aaron Hugen (Drums) have been on our horizon for a while, since hearing “Welcome Home” via the Slam Worldwide YouTube channel back in August 2019. Single “Warmonger” has also existed for a similar length of time, a live rendition of which surfaced in the same month and we also got an insight into their influences with a drum cover of “The Box” by The Last Ten Seconds Of Life surfacing in May last year.

Science fiction style electronics and a distorted, warped spoken word form “Ballad of the End” before an absolutely skull crushing guitar tone smashes down walls, the bruising rhythm parts overlaid by a haunting lead and some brutal vocals from Turner. He’s certainly got the skills that it takes to do the Technical Deathcore style justice with plenty of bark and bite, his elongated wet sounding roars on “The Summoned” reaching through the black and touching the void of Slam. That cut moves into Downtempo territory for a pummeling groove of pulverizing rhythms and a Deathcore rap screamed section that makes Chris Fronzak from Attila sounds like a feather weight in comparison. Continuing the savage beating, “Warmonger” makes the best out of some pause break staccato riffage to create a bleak depiction while having a rich technical extended solo buried in the mix that sounds like it belongs to The Faceless and is the last thing you might expect but sounds phenomenal in the context. Building the atmosphere with more haunting leads is something unheard of in Deathcore but here it is the spark and the difference maker that separates this Wolf from the Pack.

A more straight up brute, “Display” has an ocean of bounce while Turner offers some shriller vocal tones that give the whole thing a Hunt The Dinosaur vibe that is great fun in the midst of something on such a dark theme, while the downtempo final third is a masterful slow death by hammer. The title track “Dirtmound” sees Casey Needler make a guest appearance but it’s the Josh Travis (Emmure, Glass Cloud, The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza) style tapping sections which steal the show, raising the hairs of the back of your neck. Needler’s vocals are down right dirty and disgustingly good fun, he’s an absolute beast and it seems that Interpreter have had the best of them brought out by his presence. Similarly “Doctor Discontent” Johnny Tsunami of Divisive joining the party and Interpreter bring the thunder for him to spit over with murderous intent. “Is there anything really wrong with me?” screams Turner to the Doctor, from the depths of his misery. “Dirtmound” is a full on cathartic energy release that goes off like a nuclear reactor core in melt down [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. Ballad of the End
2. The Summoned
3. Warmonger
4. Display
5. Dirtmound (ft. Casey Needler)
6. Doctor Discontent (ft. Johnny Tsunami of Divisive)

“Dirtmound” by Interpreter is out now and available over at bandcamp.