The unmistakable pall of monochromatic fear and fright begs the question: should Dystopia A.D. have named their latest record Doomsday Bible? Instead calling it Doomsday Psalm, the album presents an anthology of horrors; a plethora of terror. The end of the physical world becomes the least of your worries.

Only the band’s sophomore full-length, and the tangible diversity song to song expertly masks that this group is a two-person crew. More than simply the musicianship alone, the tactful guidance of Chris Whitby and Aki Shishido effortlessly instills in the record a colossal aura more suited for a group at least twice the size. 

But back to the chilling aspects. Doomsday A.D. doesn’t incorporate sound clips from cliche horror movies. The anxiety and unease manifests itself through visceral, throaty grunts. Diabolical, hate-filled harsh lines and esophagus-slicing shrieks drenches the songs in grotesquery. ‘Imperial Dawn’ feels like nothing short of a multi-chaptered, horrific struggle for survival. The warm instrumental ‘Lost Shores’ is frightening in its out-of-place nature, which is precisely the point. 

However, scary doesn’t always denote intensity or volume. In fact, Dystopia A.D. implement fits of ethereal, glistening singing. To think Whitby has the capacity for the title track but can also lay down hulking grunts for ‘As Skies Collapse’ is terrifying. The band’s versatility also shines in that Doomsday… is a self-released record. 

If not for the spine-tingling environment created, appreciate Doomsday Psalm for its formidable array of independently effective songs. The forty-one minutes neither bore nor bother in an age where attention spans are as short as the pencils they give you at mini golf courses. Whitby and Shishido eschew the notion that a melodic death metal band requires four or six entities in order to flourish. 

I guess in a dystopian society, less really can be more.

Buy the album here: 

https://dystopiaad.bandcamp.com/album/doomsday-psalm

7 / 10

MATT COOK