19th January 2024

Review: “Revolutionist” by Drip Fed Empire

A mind is a terrible thing to waste and when a band goes on hiatus it can either mean they return stronger, rejuvenated with a new line up and fresh ideas or that they disappear off the face of the Earth, never to be heard from or seen again. Fortunately in the case of Drip Fed Empire when they returned all guns were blazing and a flurry of support slots across the United Kingdom and Germany with the likes of Electric Callboy, Attila, Hacktivist and more found them reinvigorated. In 2023 the four piece entered Hidden Track Studios with the highly respected Oz Craggs (Holding Absence, Loathe, Architects) to record an album to follow the 25k plus of streams for their biggest single to date “Disinformation“…

A beast from beyond the void calls to us in ugly and disturbing alien tongues as “Wandering Soul” paints a picture of torturous horrors set in a dystopian future. It may only be a 98 second introduction piece but it is immediately divisive; it threatens to trigger that fight of flight response of animal instinct in those faint of heart. What follows is not the crushing brutality that you might have anticipated win pig squeals and slam breakdowns but instead is something carved from the stone of the Static-X statue with hints of Powerman 5000 as Industrial tinged Nu-Metal smoulders in “Give Me More“. A cut which would have no doubt been a huge hit in the late 90’s, it has a nostalgic charm despite its obvious influences. After that lethal dose of American inspired hatred “MK4” brings flavours of Pitchshifter and Seething Akira, a chunky main riff wrapped around turntable action and synths that could easily spawn a thousand remixes. The addictive nature of the bands high calibre output is undeniable, even if it isn’t anything you might not have heard before. Doubling down on the Industrial Metal overtones “The Work Of God” ploughs a fresh furrow through the skull with a classic weighty groove only broken for an whispered invitation to torture school where hate turns to love. What follows is a real gut punch as the message is hammered home by a huge breakdown and some immense turntable action, the intensity unrivalled for a killer moment.

Another cut with an earworm main riff “Digital Drug” dials up the bounce with some chunky staccato riff breaks chemically enhanced by programming so that you’ve got an interesting interplay between the real and the artificial. An anthemic chorus following a vital pre-chorus ensures that this is going to be a live favourite, the grand finale after an electronic break once again the piece de resistance. Sounding like something from a classic science fiction horror film “systemreset” is a tale of re-orientation as the mind, body and soul are intertwined with the system. The lukewarm synths and mild threat of the computer voice a warning message about the shape of punk to come when the World is controlled by AI and individuality is removed in order for hivemind to be created. It’s bleak to the point of being terrifying and would have worked just as well as the introduction piece to the record as a whole. Building up with a moment of piano so as no to leave a jagged edge, “Arcane” brings back the guitars for cleverly worked bursts of heaviness between huge sing-a-long choruses. Perhaps lacking the complexity in the electronics of the earlier cuts, this one makes up for it with plenty of punch, the weight, grit and integrity of the lyrical narrative having an unexpected melancholic quality. What’s left after a couple of more experimental numbers? “Invaders” wraps things back around to the earlier sounds of the record in style to ensure that “Revolutionist” finishes with a flourish and on a high. Industrial groove to have audiences swaying like marionettes, the monstrous breakdown in the final third is going to make you want to rewind the tape… [7.5/10]

Track Listing