### Fartgod: Demo 2008

#### 26/11/08 || The Duff

You can’t judge a band by it’s name, Fartgod being a prime example; I was expecting a punk-pisstake band with some metal attributes, or some such, or at the very best, a band like Crotchduster without the ace musicianship. Instead, I get a proficient band that just so managed to take away the bitter taste left by Brute, a fuck knows what tier band with a serious lack of talent – the funny thing is, both bands aren’t that far removed from each other. I mean, these guys know what works, but the styles they play aren’t all that different, this band reveling in thrash (a big The Haunted vibe), death and hints of industrial (less technical “D.E.I.”-era Meshuggah), all tuned down very low but not as a weak attempt to disguise watered down, lazy riffing, for these chaps can play; the vocalist, again, very one-dimensional, but actually pretty good – sounds like a strained Jens Kidman/aggro-Peter Dolving, with a touch of hardcore.

Yes, there are some nu-metal vibes on this disc, but they’re well integrated into Fartgod’s sound (can’t believe I’m typing this name with a straight face), and lo-and-behold, the band also delivers a well executed solo; not overly impressive, but I’d still be a content fellow if I could pull off such a thing. There are blastbeats, too; as we all know, blastbeats equal a reliable measure of a band’s overall musical abilities, so kudos are in order for the musical talent expressed. Also, harmonies, even during the thrashier, fast parts (double-bass-ah! COMPLEX JUST LIKE JUSTISSSSE!), and yes, some well placed, well played double kick work is at hand.

The production is quite sharp, but keeps a gritty tone, at times reminding me of early Strapping Young Lad; now if that isn’t a compliment for an up and coming band, I don’t know what is, and I should be getting blowjobs in the mail any time soon now. The rest of this surprisingly good demo includes doom-y, dense chords that have been mixed very smoothly, giving them an all-enveloping nature, even though I would claim them to be the band’s weakest element – I don’t like it when a band named Fartgod gets all melancholic. These parts are predominantly situated in the lengthy closer, “Salvation”, and although I like some of the ideas these transition to, for the most part, along with the clean guitars, they are the chief reason for which the demo isn’t entirely flawless (judging the music as being all fine, not so much for its innovative qualities, y’know).

The closing of the demo is most successful, though, and I would recommend this to fans of industrial deathsters Gojira for such (don’t quote me on this, as personally I can’t stand said band); these guys have released quite a mixed bag, as they have an array of influences – they show some talent on this here demo, and if you can overlook the slight nu-metal leanings, then give these guys the support; although I won’t be following up on their progress, I’d still be interested to hear whatever they crop up with next, as I’m sure it’ll be just another pleasant surprise in my spare time between Neurosis and death metal.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Website: Fartgod MySpace
- Band
- Claes Carlsson: drums
- Daniel Jansson: guitars, vocals
- Patrik Nygren: guitars
- Johan Haglund: bass

- Tracklist
- 01. Living through bleeding
- 02. Nothing left
- 03. Mongers of lies
- 04. Salvation