Album Review: The Callous Daoboys - Die On Mars 9 (Mathcore)

Written by Zax

The Callous Daoboys
Die On Mars
Mathcore
Georgia, USA
June 21, 2019
9/10

You know that feeling when you hear about an album and know immediately that it will be right up your ally? That’s how I was with this new Callous Daoboys record. These guys are an Atlanta, Georgia based mathcore band. Before I get into the album, I wanna preface this by saying, this will not be for everybody. This album is very weird and chaotic. It’s a niche that not everyone will vibe with, and I get that.

Mathcore is metalcore that has been heavily influenced by technical playing, and balls to the wall song structures and time signatures. It is heavily characterized by massive riffs and tons of panic chords. The result of this is often what can only be described as destruction in audio form. I personally think mathcore is heavier than a lot of death metal simply based on how intense it is.

This album has some lighter moments though, it has some clean vocals, and spoken word, and outright yelled vocals to go along with the frantic screams. Even in those moments the vocals and music are very sporadic and feral, and they make the riffs and pummelling drums sound all the heavier when they come crashing back down on you like a ton of bricks. The vocal performance here is incredibly varied, unique, and just furious all the way through. The mix of styles here is almost too much, like It’s damn near overwhelming how much is going on. It combines the neck breaking heaviness of Frontierer with the more melodic side of Grayhaven and the oddball randomness of a band like Dance Gavin Dance.

It grabs your attention and refuses to let go for the entirety of its run-time. There is so much going on it’s hard to focus on anything. It’s musical sensory overload and it’s a hell of a good time. Despite its heaviness and intensity, it never takes itself too seriously. That’s easy to determine with song titles like “Flip-Flops at a Funeral” and “Cobra Winfrey.”

So, if this is your type of thing, it’s a no brainer, you’re going to love it. It you’re more unfamiliar with the sound, I’d recommend proceeding with caution, but keep an open mind. You never know, this might blow you away. I believe it might have a spot on my AOTY list.

9/10