Adam Vallely
The math-manglers in Frontierer have undoubtedly always been an acquired taste. Even those who think they listen to “experimental” music have quickly been deterred by the swathe of sounds the band produces. But to those who are wired for the likes of this and fellow noise-makers, Car Bomb will undoubtedly be first in line to spin Ultraviolet Parasite. Side note, how is it only now that Car Bomb & Frontierer are touring together? A match made in heaven for sure.
The title track opens with the most digestible elements, with direct rhythm for the most part. The bass drum would certainly destroy phone speakers if dared to be played on a loudspeaker. ‘Picturesque’ follows, feeling like being shot through an industrial shredding machine that’s consuming alien technology. Just after you reach out of the black hole in a moment of peace, they drag you back in with their digital-sounding tentacles and jaws.
‘Wool Glasses’ continues the attack with a pure wall of sound thundering into another wall of sound with a beat thundering into another wall of lasers. Later leaning on Messuggah influences with a low end and drumbeat driving the insanity above them. ‘Emerging Claustrophobic’ certainly lives up to its title. An interstellar rave, a message sent from some planet beyond our own. This music seems otherworldly, unlike anything before them. This is complemented by the industrial rave-sounding start of ‘Ions & Oxygen Rockets’ that pulsates into a pummeling groove. With added vocals from The Armed’s Tony Wolski adding that extra spice.
Many phrases have been used by fans to describe how Frontierer sound. “Like if Vein.fm had grown up listening to food processors rather than Limp Bizkit,” or “like if MP3 files could get scratched,” and “like your pal Derrick’s MySpace band played through your 2008 Motorola RAZR and into a larger speaker with an intense room reverb.” All of these and more are complimentary and true. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what Frontierer really are.
However dense and intense this all sounds, what Ultraviolet Parasite does fantastically is make every element sound in its place and clear. This isn’t noise for the sake of it; every detail is well thought out, whether it be a pick scrape, a beat or any of the digital elements. From recording to mix to mastering, everyone involved in putting this together should be applauded for their ear to detail. From front to back, Ultraviolet Parasite is brutally epic and a thing of twisted beauty. Whether you get them or not, Frontierer are to be admired, making the seemingly unpossible, possible. There are few that even dare brave the territories Frontierer explores, and long may that continue, because without bands pushing boundaries, the human mind and ears might as well listen to pure white noise and be done with it.
