What is the exact so called marker for ‘evolution’ or ‘progress’? Is it the constant dosing of additive solutions to a mountain of compounding complex problems? The seemingly ever omnipresent and incessant human need to ‘keep building’ something? Perhaps it’s the maniacal and neurotic rearranging of preconceived structures and nearly passive systems often unnoticed within one’s impossibly limited scope and time-frame of existence. Whatever one struggles to define evolution as, it’s as clear as Upper Peninsular waters that Australia’s Diploid strives for and achieves such a feat by example. In just the 10 minutes of material presented here, they accomplish sounding both similar to, yet also nothing like a gorgeous amalgamation of heinously violent influences. There are shades of Assuck, NIN, Orchid, Weakling, The Body, Magrudergrind, Converge among just a few potentials, yet the sheer explosive emotional ferocity mixed with an incredible knack for left turn on a dime songwriting leads the band deeply and firmly into it’s own unique voice and vision. A triple threat vocal attack spews themes seemingly spanning starvation, body image, paranoia, perseverance, dwindling resources (both personal and global), coping mechanisms, isolation, and mental gymnastics to name a few. An almost eerie, near electronic / post-industrial and depressive yet urgent purple atmospheric hue cover everything, with stitches of classic speed, thrash and death metal riffage holding together an immense framework, jettisoning itself at 120 MPH (or perhaps 193 KPH..) straight into the abyss, tearing itself apart under it’s own torrential weight of emotional release and fervor. While human evolution or whatever one wants to pathetically attempt to define our often disgusting, self righteous examples of ‘progress’ as may be nearly impossible to accurately conjure, one thing is certain: Melbourne, Australia’s Diploid exists as pertinent example of moving a sonic signature and personal artistic message forward with unstoppable force. – Brandon Hill (Cloud Rat / Fantastique / Starved Relations) “Mantra” was recorded on stolen Indigenous Land in so-called Australia. Drums, vocals and noise were recorded at headgap studios on Wurundjeri Woi-Wurrung land belonging to the people of the Kulin nation. Guitar and bass were recorded at Underground Audio Studios on Yuggera and Turrbal Country. We pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past present and fiercely emerging. This always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land. We feel it is important to acknowledge that at the time of this release, there is a genocide taking place in Palestine by the ethnostate of Israel. Devastating that the world seems to keep turning while Palestinian children are being murdered in their homes, women are being raped at gunpoint, and men are being tortured to death and buried in mass graves. Shame on Israel. Shame on Israel. Shame on Israel. We lovingly thank Christopher Brownbill for producing and recording this ep. Your expertise and patient nature is appreciated beyond measure. Thanks to Life.Lair.Regret and Rope or Guillotine. Christoph Winkler. Claire Westover. Mastered by Alan Douches at West West Side Music. Artwork and design by Mariam Benjemaa. Diploid is Reece Prain. Mariam Benjemaa. Scarlett Shred.