REVERED AND REVILED ABOVE ALL OTHERS - Mythocracy (Mini-Review)

This year, in an attempt to cover more music that would all-too-oft slip through the very large cracks, we're trying something new and novel around these parts. Namely, we're gonna actually publish the little one-off reviews that were previously (and arbitrarily) deemed too short for publication. In that spirit, here's a mini-review of a ridiculously crushing single.

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Written by: The Administrator

I'm a glutton for experiences that drown out the extremity of everyday life via, y'know, the gross application of additional extremity. As such, I tend to gravitate towards art that is overwhelming by design. Enter doomviolence pioneers Revered and Reviled Above All Others, my favorite outfit operating in the vibrant world of lung-collapsing antifascist music. They've got a new single out entitled "Mythocracy"--a short and poignant harbinger of the presumably forthcoming SWINEVOID.

Listening to RRAAO is pretty much the antithesis of leisurely activity. Indeed, willingly submitting to the (increasingly trademark) AS + DB brand of powerviolence-by-way-of-sludge necessitates an appreciation of unapologetic discomfort. And that's the point. The potent blown-speaker combo of blaring bass, clanging cymbals, and titan-esque roars are built to rupture eardrums and induce migraines. Here, notably, the vocals have an almost mechanized or industrial quality, which only lends weight to the overwhelming aesthetic. There's a tangible pressure to the sonic onslaught--this latest track in particular makes me feel like I'm caught in the confines of a depressurizing submarine. Make no mistake: "Mythocracy" is nauseating in a very physical sense. I love it. 

RRAAO have perfected their formula: "Mythocracy" swiftly makes a point and doesn't stick around to witness the aftermath. Brevity works wonders in terms of impact. The track is over in very short order, but the sheer catharsis when the vocals kick in after a sludgy bludgeoning and hollow drums? Nothing short of excellent. This track leaves me immediately longing for more of the same.

Intertwined with "Mythocracy" is a pre-order for the sickest long sleeve tee of 2022 (which I will certainly be adding to the cart as soon as the ol' band merch coffers are replenished.)

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If this is your first exposure to RRAAO, I recommend checking out the excellent Toppling the Rotten Pillar​, reviewed here. We also interviewed AS + DB here. 

Revered and Reviled Above All Others can be found:​
Bandcamp