Thunderous dissonance conveys Divide and Dissolve’s commitment to Black and Indigenous liberation.
This begins with a bit of clarification, in terms of Divide and Dissolve‘s geological location. Percussionist Sylvie Nehill, who played on the LP Systemic with guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Takiaya Reed, may be the person based in Melbourne, not the band itself. Reed just started D//D’s tour coming from her New Orleans home base, literally hitting the road with Marcus (Black Obsidian Sound System) as hurricane weather was descending – upgraded to level 2. (“It’s hard not to be like, ‘Is my house gonna be there after I’m done with tour?’,” Reed nervously joked in a recent Instagram post.)
Systemic contains, then unleashes, a different kind of storm brewing with unwavering momentum, its energy working in “direct opposition” to the destructive erasure of Black and Indigenous cultures, as D//D explains. Though deeply rooted and seemingly insurmountable, the roots will unravel, untether, dissolve in a reclamation. The instrumental LP’s dense, droning layers of interwoven sound move from hypnotic to an explosive upheaval, as Reed’s riffs tear into oppressive foundations. Perhaps not doom metal; more like dismantling metal.
Following last night’s performance in Houston, Divide and Dissolve make their way to Austin for a show tonight at The Ballroom, 2906 Fruth St. Doors at 7 p.m. A badass line-up with AMM faves alexalone and SKLOSS make this an outstanding night.
