Dissentience – Kaiju (EP)
Release Date: 20th February 2026
Label: Self-Released
Bandcamp
Genre: Death/Thrash
FFO: Revocation, Sylosis, The Black Dahlia Murder, Death.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
Pennsylvania death-thrash outfit Dissentience is back with their concept EP, Kaiju, releasing on Friday, February 20. Kaiju means “strange beast” in Japanese, referring to the classic Japanese monster movie genre that inspired this four-track EP. The band also drew on the horrors of Lovecraft’s mythos to tell the story of a gigantic, nameless monster that destroys a helpless city. Kaiju features Connor Valentin on guitar and vocals, James Vitale on guitar, Sean Langer on bass, and Nick Scherden on drums, in their most ambitious project to date. The EP continues to hone the band’s skills in fusing the speed and aggressiveness of thrash with the weightiness and complex song structures of death metal to bring us a dramatic soundtrack to the Kaiju’s reign of terror.
The EP opens with Obsidian Tomb, which sets the stage for the annihilation to come. The acoustic intro, followed by the entrance of the distorted guitars, ratchets up the tension before the thrashy verses kick into gear. It has a Revocation-type vibe in the vocal delivery and in the groovy, yet techy feel of the faster instrumental sections. The dynamics enhance the narrative, giving us fast, blistering verses followed by huge, rhythm-driven choruses that depict the creature being unleashed on the city and the devastation it leaves in its wake. The slower instrumental breaks seem to depict the confusion and shock of the populace, helpless to do anything except watch in terror. Not naming the monster and leaving the finer details up to imagination also taps into the Lovecraftian idea of things that are “nameless” being beyond human understanding and embodying a fear of the unknowable.
The syncopated opening of Chaos Absolute subtly hints at the concept of disorder in the fallout after the monster’s initial attack. The guitars are frenzied, giving the verses a panic-stricken feel that speaks to the confusion left behind, the frantic citizens searching for loved ones, and the impotent powerlessness as humans recognize their inability to stop a creature no one even knew existed until it was too late. The section after the clean bridge is devastatingly heavy, but it still maintains its groove, and the shredding solos add another layer to the accompaniment of the chaotic events unfolding.
The title track Kaiju narrates horrific scenes of carnage as the monster destroys what is left of the humans’ pitiful last stand. Seething riffs and relentless rhythms channel the rage and anguish of the people, as well as the mindless fury of the monster. The frenzied tempo and raging vocals, with shouted lines and higher-pitched screams in a sort of call and response, drive the track to a fever pitch, echoing the senseless violence of the scene. The dynamics in this track are very well done, changing tempos and rhythms with the changing scenes, and you can never go wrong with chugging guitars underneath fiery solos. The lyrical themes not only speak to the monster’s ability to lay waste to entire cities, but it also highlights the tendencies of humanity to continue the same destructive behaviors they’ve used to annihilate themselves before, no monster required.
Death Shroud is the final chapter of the story. The monster may be gone, but “the anguish remains…” The slower, more atmospheric opening with the dissonant tones and the more deliberate pace of the verses allow the listener the space to picture the burned husk of the city, “as the world burns around us…” and any survivors are mourning their dead and the loss of their way of life. It’s still heavy, and neither the riffs nor the tormented vocals disappoint, but the slightly more stripped-down composition is perfect for the feelings of desolation the track is aiming for. Around 5:45, the tempo picks up, and the track ups the intensity in response to a change in the narrative where the survivors question where they go from here, especially with the lingering dread that the Kaiju could return at any time. The instrumental outro is excellent, with the chunky riffs once again underscoring a wicked, screaming solo that tells a story of grief and suffering in and of itself.
Overall, this was a really fun listen. I love that Dissentience chose a concept, because it made everything feel a bit more cohesive than earlier works. Not to mention, it’s hard to go wrong with monsters in metal, unless it’s hokey. This is not. The band left specifics about the monster’s appearance and origins up to the listener, focusing more on the monster’s actions and the humans’ reactions, and the story was easy to follow. Thrash plus death is not anything new, but every band meshes these genres differently. So Dissentience sound like themselves, although you can hear influences like Revocation and Sylosis. Of course, the blistering pace and aggressiveness of thrash, plus the brutality and chaos of death metal, naturally lend themselves to the story of a Kaiju’s destructive rampage and the devastating aftermath. Don’t miss Kaiju by Dissentience, out this Friday, February 20th.
(4 / 5)
