Λύσσα Κακιά (Lyssa Kakia) - Self-titled EP

Frothing at the mouth and chomping at the bit. 

Like most people in the world, I am not a native English speaker. Yet, given the increasingly globalised nature of the world – and especially the internet – I inevitably partake and interact with content and websites that by and large could be defined as part of “the Anglosphere”. It’s impossible to avoid, and despite my misgivings with it, it has its benefits, but that’s neither here nor there. One peculiar characteristic of these digital spaces is the fact that foreign languages stick out like a sore thumb when used, a non-Latin script being a surefire way to catch someone’s eye, which was precisely what happened to me with Λύσσα Κακιά ( Literally “Mean Rabies”, an expression used to describe excessive obsession or indiscriminate anger). Seeing the band’s name pop up on Metallum’s “New Bands” tab made an impression on me, and the death/crust classification only served to further pique my interest, considering how specific this niche is, not only in my home country, but the world at large. Add to that some eye-catching artwork, a trim 28-minute runtime, and it’s a guaranteed dive in for yours truly.

Though you’d expect them to start swinging from the word “go”, our opener actually makes a statement as to why we’re not dealing with just another crust band. “Αγάλματα¨ (Statues) eases us into things with a protracted and rather haunting introduction, one that draws heavily from the Anatolian influences permeating traditional Greek music, but that isn’t to last, as searing riffs and frenzied drum rolls bear down upon the listener, a more accurate display of we’ll be dealing with for the remainder of the runtime. Λύσσα Κακιά deftly swerves between razor-sharp metallic passages and punkier strumming, while the percussion maintains a restless sense of momentum that brings the most out of the infectious vocal lines. It’s a rather shifty song, despite cycling through a defined series of motifs, none of them falter or give the impression of being there as mere filler, even if it eclipses the 5-minute mark. The quasi-title track lives up to its name (Rabies), a rabid attack that draws the crusty traits of their sound to their forefront, particularly in the choruses. It cannot be stressed enough just how addictive they are, as Giannis’ dry roar is bolstered by some raspier gang shouts, and he’s always in perfect lockstep with the rhythm section. Admittedly, if you enjoy your punk a bit sloppier, the precision displayed here may seem a touch too tidy, but it is necessitated by added death metal influence, as it guides the ferocity therein.

Although things have been pretty unambiguously aggressive in terms of emotion displayed, the track “Παλαιστίνη” (Palestine), signals a rather powerful tonal shift. Despite the lyrics themselves not directly mentioning the ongoing genocide taking place in Gaza, lines such as:

Clothes filthy with death
Eyes drowned in oblivion
Bodies threaded with pain
They walk through hell’s gates on earth

leave precious little to the imagination, and the music is sure to reflect that. The suspended blastbeat that inaugurates things along with the sustained chords casts a pallour of grimness over the proceedings, and the guitars assume a doomier character during the verses to match. Even the faster portions are brimming with a despair that is not found anywhere else here. It’s a harrowing piece, and has the unfortunate effect of casting a shadow over the remainder of the runtime because of its placement, given that things don’t get as charged from this point on, at least lyrically.

As for the rest of the EP, it structurally mirrors the first two tracks, the longer “Χειμώνας” (Winter) being a winding piece akin to the opener (mellow introduction included), whereas “Αναψυχή” (Entertainment/Recreation) is a brief exercise in bludgeoning the listener. Neither is bad per se, and the more prevalent death metal influence in the staccato palm muting that permeates them is quite welcome, but it’s hard not to at least notice the similarities between the first and second leg of the release. Shoutout to the rollicking double bass on “Αναψυχή” though, that one’s sure to stick in your noggin.

Really, the only thing resembling a clunker here is the closing “Δαίμονες” (Demons), whose runtime is deceptive at the very least. Things once again become brooding, and although there are some furious fills interspersed throughout the track, it never quite erupts beyond an upper-mid pace. Ambitious as the song might be though, riddled shifts in riffing and tempo, this inability to truly up the ante makes one feel as if the band are dragging their feet because they are uncertain how to close things off, even if they pull it together in the end with a monstrously heavy riff. Ultimately though, it’s in the brief silence that follows where it comes undone for me, as we’re met with a partial reprise of the intro, which doesn’t really connect to or lead to anything, and peters off into nothingness. It’s a damn shame, because it’s a stirring sequence in its own right, and I could easily see it being an outro had we been led into it properly. As it stands, it feels more like an afterthought, something that they absolutely had to showcase because of its quality, even though they couldn’t quite fit it in the grander scheme of things.

Nevertheless, Λύσσα Κακιά roar into an ailing (metal, the punk scene in Greece is doing splendidly) scene, full of vigour and ready to leave a mark. It’s impressive in how well-realised this EP is, given its being a debut, and while there are some songwriting kinks that need to be worked out, they already have most of the pieces in place, and are poised to bring what little is missing from their sound together in the future. I really cannot stress how much this shit rips, even if you don’t speak the language, and its hard to explain just how necessary such projects are to the health of a country’s culture and identity these days, particularly as everyone’s primary mode of interaction becomes something that only became the standard through cultural colonisation. It must be said that the irony of me writing this in English is not lost on me, but topics such as these warrant greater conversation across linguistic barriers, and given that this language is our main means of connection and communication, I can’t help but employ it, even if it appears to undermine my position at a glance. But hey, you know what they say about the end and the means.
 

Highlights: Λύσσα, Παλαιστίνη

 

Rating: 85%