Roman Gabriel Todd is a duo from Mobile, Alabama or so their Facebook says. Roman is on bass and vocals and Benny Divine plays drums or programs what's left of a collection of beat up RX-7's and maybe hits a gong every once in a while. They've set out to be an over top black metal version of Suicide. Minimal and jerky with all the soul of a beat up trash can, they're creating something completely insane and weird, which is actually an accomplishment these days.
A-Side's "Black Pope" is a free jazz broken drum machine nightmare. As mechanical as possible with gruff calcualted vocals, "you will miss the black pope" with high hat static rhythms out of all the digital approximations of drums stacked up on top of each other in some kind of early '80s hell on earth. "Uncircumcised Stranger in the Sanctuary" has more spastic drum machine with bass played by mathematic hating aliens. A six track Ep at 45 should be impossible and they don't feel like they rush things. How to make a shitty drum machine sound evil is also an accomplishment.
"Born Again Without a Brain Again" is seriously damaged. Minimal for having these metal leanings, reminding me of that Black Devil Doll from Hell single if they added vocals. Or if Tonetta was a serial killer.
B-Side's "My Worm Will Not Die" - they the best song titles I'll give them that, I'd pick this up just for that. It's almost like the Destruction Unit or Digital Leather side of Jay if you took away most of the melody and went to work on only repetition and rhythm. "You've got to open your little mouth to see". I admire their commitment.
"Satanism in School" is like the video game intro to an old 8 bit game. This guy can't be serious growling like a satanist Don Cab. I'm in on the joke now. The gong is always a nice touch. Drum and bass go their own ways, weirdly marching in the opposite directions. "Thrusting in the Shadow of Death" - I also can appreciate that the tracks run right into each other, like this is some kind of weird musical. "Get it up in the shadow of death". It's hard having sex with gross undead or creatures from hell. I could see that really being a problem. Mechanical post punk metal. An Andrew WK punch in satans face. They should open for ICP and believe me this is not an insult. After reading You Don't Know Me But You Don't Like Me I have a new sort of respect for those guys who went after the most insane thing they could think of with all their heart. Same goes for you Roman Gabriel Todd.
Paypal Roman for your copy - romangabrieltodd AT gmail or their bandcamp.
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