Groove-heavy Australian metallers Diprosus sludge their way into the Melbourne metal scene’s best up-and-coming bands with an outstanding debut EP.
The five-track EP, Saved or Enslaved, is sure to satisfy those that have a soft spot for the New Wave of American Heavy Metal (NWOAHM) movement.
Diprosus follow the NWOAHM formula established by Chimaira and Machine Head before them, including the customary sprinkle of groove and adding a pinch of sludge for good measure. With clear influences from bands like DevilDriver and Lamb Of God, as well as the sludgy undertones of Down, Diprosus draw the listener in with tantalising hooks and melodies before unleashing some relentless blasts and then sinking back down into a slow tempo riff. This is exemplified in the EP’s most enjoyable track and likely set-list regular, Stirfried.
While the drummer may overdo the drum fills a bit, the slick production is enough to allow the repetitions to feel welcome and not tiresome. The vocals are brutal without sounding monotonous and the song structures vary enough over the five tracks to keep things interesting and fresh, with short clean instrumental passages and conservative guitar solos.
Diprosus are an excellent band, so if you haven’t yet seen them at one of their recent gigs, hunt down Saved or Enslaved in your local record store because they’re definitely worth checking out.
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