Break out the cutlery, At the Plates is back.
Formed in 2018 with the obviously parodic intention of At the Gates by Tony R (all instruments), the band is officially joined by Tyler McCarthy (lead guitar, So Be It) and Mario Pareja-Lecaros (vocals, Radamanthys) for the release of their second album, Omnivore.
To be honest, I was a bit apprehensive about releasing this album. Is it a parody? A culinary « tribute » to Swedish specialties in a saucy sauce? The introduction to With Their Cutlets didn’t reassure me as the musicians tried (literally) to turn the gas on, but they soon went on to deliver a quality sound, combining soaring dissonance, aggressive vocal parts and a solid rhythm that respects the tradition of the genre. We also have a few sharp leads before Kitchen Gone speeds things up and lets its harmonics lacerate us between two massive riffs, adding to the track’s catchy contrast. There’s however a certain resemblance to the track on which it’s based, as on Punish My Waistline, which takes a more aggressive and sometimes jerky approach, offering a few heady spikes of aggression. The track remains fairly ethereal, as does the mysterious lengthy Terminal Filet Disease with Danica Amore (Cab Ride Home), which first settles into a heavy, hazy slowness before introducing more complex elements, before finally unleashing its full force on the final leading to Omnivore, the eponymous track, and its gentle yet disquieting tones. Saturation returns on the crushing Roastwell 47, coupling its abrasive melodies with a virulent basis at times tinged with dark haunting dissonance that spreads freely before Open Buffet Surgery sets its explosive rhythm with menacing Brutal Death influences, also found on vocals with Ryan Wolanski (Slamadeus). The energetic riffs resurface on Incarnated Syrup Abuse, first dipping into Old School roots, then speeding up to allow the catchy choruses to unleash themselves, leading us to the short Into Everlasting Fryer (I confess I almost laughed, for this track), which lets its melodies intertwine before the final ebullition. Northern Frites closes the opus with a similar recipe to the previous tracks, letting its dissonance’s coldness meet heady worked patterns, whether in the lively passages or, on the contrary, in the much slower ones.
Far from being a simple joke, At the Plates offers genuine compositions under the guise of parody tracks. While Omnivore is obviously close to its influences, the musicians also know how to create their own universe.
80/100