Nearing the end of 2021, I was knee deep in my discovery and newfound obsession of Loathe, an outstanding band in modern metal who had an unshakable lead in metalcore innovation with their modern take on shoegaze influences. So when 2022 came around and they dropped a single, I obviously fell in love with it.
Here's the funny thing though: I didn't. When I first heard it, it didn't click for me, and it didn't click for a long while. Maybe three or four months later, on a random re-listen, it suddenly sounded like the coolest thing ever, and ever since then it has been one of my top songs of 2022.
Dimorphous Display is both familiar and new to the established Loathe sound at the same time, which is weird to explain but it's true. There are elements we are used to, like the impressive ambient work, the blend of beautiful clean sections and brutal scream sections, the groovy riffage and the chaotic soundscapes. At the same time, there's moments in this song that feel new, sort of experimental, sort of evolutionary. The creepy sounds before the song starts, the overlapping echoes after the first chorus, the electronic synths going crazy in the outro, they feel like small steps in a new direction for the band's growing sound.
The song covers a lot of territory in five minutes, but if I had to summarise it, I'd say it is a hauntingly beautiful song. They know how to design their soundscape at a very intricate level, especially with how they layer everything and the effects they choose to use. I've always been a huge sucker for songs that have many many things going on at the same time (provided that it's well-made), and Loathe has been one of the best to do it in recent times. I'm unbelievably excited for what might come next from Loathe, and to see how they will evolve their sound after I Let It In And It Took Everything.
Rating: 4.5/5