Review: “Dividing The Double Helix” by Synastry

Touring religiously Synastry released a pair of records in 2006’s “Pallets Of My New World”  and 2008’s “Blind Eyes Bleed” before going dormant four years on and having been a long dormant project, the reformation and resurgence of Montreal Canadian’s Synastry has been a joy to behold. Just five months after their first EP “Civilizations Coma” appeared in November 2020, a sophomore one since that triumphant return has landed in the form of “Dividing The Double Helix“. The return release combined elements of Thrash, Death and Industrial Metal to create music heavy on atmosphere and crushing consequences without rehashing any old ideas while they have promised us more groove and aggressiveness while the lyrics from vocals of James Aniston are said to be much more personal this time around. He’s flanked by guitarist Paul Iverson and bassist Gary Vee while Kay Kessler handles the drums.

Aniston becomes an absolute beast on EP title track “Dividing The Double Helix” with some throat shredding vocals while also intersplicing them with some harsh almost spoke word moments. The music is dark, brooding and urgent with touches of Tech-Metal in the riffs and a thunderous kit performance from Kessler, the clanky bass being allowed to bleed through and alternate with the guitars as you’re pulled into the vortex of the track. Equally “Cryolife” wastes no time in taking hold like a parasite devouring all in it’s path, consuming from inside out. Dirge pre-DJentisms give a real thick gauged string groove with the leads applying a schizophrenic feel of eerie wrath. Set apart from the other two cuts with some Melodic Death Metal synths that would have In Flames looking in their direction “Assembly Line Asylum” also as some horror film nasty programming in the mix as it batters with prize fighter punches of relentless groove riffs that bring “Iowa” era Slipknot to mind, such is the quality but also the way in which Aniston manipulates his voice to create different tones which are downright ugly. This EP just leaves you wanting more and who can say more than that? [8/10]

Track listing

1. Dividing The Double Helix (3:37)
2. Cryolife (4:04)
3. Assembly Line Asylum (5:02)

“Dividing The Double Helix” by Synastry is out 26th March and is available over at bandcamp