Melting Resistance

The second (and final) Acid Rain Dance record is another brilliant example of aggressive, progressive hardcore/metal. This is a difficult band to pigeonhole. The dominant strains are crust, German thrash and crossover. There is some Motörhead-ish heavy metal in there, and even some (Scandinavian) death metal angularity and atmosphere. "Melting Resistance" is an interesting beast, more substantial than the band's prior seven-inch (being twice as long at 20 minutes). It is a fine way for such an underground band to end their career.

There are slight differences between this and the seven-inch. The music here is heavier, more streamlined and violent. The crust element of the band's sound is more obvious. The songs are faster and more direct (yet never simplistic). The production is thicker and fuzzier, giving it more of a typical 'punk' feel. This is probably because it was recorded at a local (Bremen) studio, rather than being recorded at Studio Sunlight as before. The result was excellent, and it might suit the band better than the Skogsberg treatment.

This is much more technical and complex than the average punk band (which is attributable to the band's metallic influences). The drummer has an idiosyncratic style, using some odd 'stuttering' beats. These sound like timing errors at first, but they happen often enough to be intentional. It sounds much more interesting than the usual repetitive d-beat. The bass playing is intriguing, locked behind the riffs most of the time, but with exuberant twangs here and there. The melodic guitar solos are not as obvious as last time, but they are still here (if buried deeper into the production). There are even some atmospheric keyboards. It is a strange combination that sounds unlike anything else.

I love this kind of thing because I can see that the band followed an organic vision. The individual members might have had different musical tastes, but they managed to express themselves in a unified way. This is vibrant and vital music, and it communicates something. That makes it more worthwhile than a thousand generic ‘template’ punk or metal bands. Acid Rain Dance should be cherished, no matter how brief their tenure in the early nineties. Quality over quantity.