LETHARGY from Rochester, NY

[Drew Johnston]

This is the metal band for the tourette's victim in all of us. A truly devastating carnival fistfuck of technical destruction. For me it's so refreshing to listen to a band as ridiculously technical and spastic as Lethargy and yet they possess such a lighthearted sense of quirky humour in the music which *most* technical metal bands out there couldn't be bothered with 'cause they're probably too concerned with the ego-stroking solos or learning scales. I literally have FUN when I listen to this band, they are a fuckin' good time and are so catchy once they sink in. I do dig Dillinger Escape Plan, but Lethargy just takes the cake for me with their schoolgirl gigglefest riffs. Their songs are jam-packed with quickly mutating harmonized melodies that are cute and showtune-like, twitching all over the place. Lethargy defies time signatures, spiralling and swirling the listener into a crosseyed state of literal dementia. They are so over-the-top and intense, I can't say enough about them.

Lethargy are for sure an original sounding band, but common threads to other bands I'd make are: Atheist circa Unquestionable Presence spliced with Human Remains and Demilich, peppered with some Primus-esque goofiness. I even hear some surf riffs in them which really separates them from the pack. Erik Burke's guitar playing is among the most interesting and perplexing styles I've ever heard. He is sliding up a storm on that guitar, and this coupled with Brann Dailor's avalanche of neverending drumfills and blast beats makes for a noodley musical tantrum on the ears. I grit my teeth to this shit, even though it can be so candy-coated and downright funny on the very same token.

Lethargy MP3s
Spoth Records (Buy the Lethargy 2CD Discography for $12, plus other crazy shit available from Rochester)

 

[jimbobhickville]

Thanks for the review. Lethargy are indeed an excellent choice. If you like them, check out Mastodon, the new band featuring the guitarist and drummer from Lethargy. The sound is tighter, but still crazy as hell. Better production, vocals, guitars, and songwriting. Only 5 songs, but only $5 from http://shop.relapse.com (where you can pick up Lethargy's Discography '93 - '99 for $14, if you want).

 

[scott from _actual time_]

Lethargy rules! been listening to them since 1996. a truly original blend of hardcore, classic metal, humor, and what i call the "riff soup" style of songwriting - chuck a riff in there, to hell if it really matches the previous one.

shame they couldn't "make it" as a band.

 

[Helm]

The term that is most widely used is "riff salad" but close enough

And a thought about this. It's wise not to confuse off-beat-ness with genious. Writing music based on abstract juxtaposition of musical forms is easier than it sounds. Performing it takes some pretty sizable balls, I agree and for that one can prase Lethargy. But really technical music is more about it's structural undertones, rather than it's absurdity. Think about it. Most of say, Watchtower's stuff isn't that difficult to pull off (besides the 3 track leads and solos, of course) but it sure as hell is difficult to have thought of them up. Complexity lies within the goals of the creator, not within the means.