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Oryx Premiere “Dios Injusto” from Split LP with Languish

oryx (Photo by Eyeworm Photography)

Denver two-piece Oryx and Tucson foursome Languish release their new split LP April 1 on Battleground Records. Aside from both having their roots in the Southwest (Oryx are from New Mexico originally), the bands share an abiding vision of doomed extremity, Oryx tempering their elephantine lumber with a darker, YOB-style cosmosis, and Languish moving between lurch and blasting grind at a moment’s notice. Each act has its own take, but it quickly becomes clear that both earn the blacks and greys of the split’s cover art, which feels obscure and barren in all the right ways.

Included on the A side is a cover of Corrupted‘s “Dios Injusto.” The story goes that when Oryx — guitarist/vocalist Tommy Davis and drummer Abbey Apple — decided to take the track on, Battleground honcho David Rodgers (also of Godhunter) hit up the infamous Japanese doomers, who thought it was a live version of their own. One would be hard pressed to think of a better compliment to pay a cover than to have the original artist think it’s their work, and as legacies oryx languish split covergo, living up to Corrupted is no minor feat. It is third of the three songs Oryx present for the split, a thick tonal concrete poured directly into the lungs, and departs from the more uptempo roll of “The Singularity” and the rumbling plod of “Immune to Light” preceding in favor of an even nastier take.

Over on the B side, Languish meet the challenge head-on in 10 roman numeral-numbered fits of grinding sludge, challenging the listener to figure out where one song/part ends and the next begins with a series of stops and starts, changes in tempo and vibe, growls and shouts bolstering the violent inclinations on display. Deceptively precise as the style they’re working in would demand, Languish nonetheless provide excellent complement to the tonal weight proffered by Oryx, who in kind set the darkened atmospherics that make Languish‘s viciousness feel all the more affecting. One group adding context and richness to the other — it’s pretty much the best case scenario for a release like this one, and as deep as Oryx and Languish go into the tonal and conceptual abyss in which they seem to abide, the more righteous the trip becomes.

Below, you can find the streaming premiere of “Dios Injusto,” followed by Rodgers‘ story about securing permission for the band to use the cover on the LP, as well as the preorder link. Album is out on Friday.

Enjoy:

David Rodgers (Godhunter, Battleground Records) on “Dios Injusto”:

“I went to Nate Carson of Nanotear Booking, who books for Corrupted in the US. He got in touch with Chew through email and there was some confusion at first, mainly due to the language barrier, because Chew thought it was a live song or something unreleased from their catalogue, but once Nate explained that it was a cover, Chew said it was very good and we could do what we wanted with it as far as covering it on the album. It’s pretty nice to get the blessing direct from the band without having to jump through legal hoops and pay expensive fees.”

The ORYX/LANGUISH split LP will see release through Battleground Records on April 1st in a run of 300 copies on 180-gram black wax including a digital download. Preorders are available HERE.

ORYX Live:
4/07/2016 Mutiny Info Café – Denver, CO w/ A Light Among Many, Stone Giant, In Loo, Distended
4/23/2016 Rhinoceropolis – Denver, CO *record release show w/ Athamé, 908, Modok, Hellhound, Alone

LANGUISH Live:
5/06/2016 Club Congress – Tucson, AZ w/ So Hideous, Bosse-De-Nage

Oryx on Thee Facebooks

Oryx on Bandcamp

Oryx/Languish split at Battleground Records

Battleground Records on Thee Facebooks

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