SVDDEN DEATH - Harbinger Review

By Gabriel Matias Castilho

Stop. Take a deep breath. Open your mind…because it is going to be blown. Californian DJ and producer “Danny” Howland–known as SVDDEN DEATH–released a nuclear Riddim album called “Harbinger” on Jan. 19. The album is so dangerous it can cause whiplashes, but that was intended. What a way to start the year!

The album’s content does indeed reflect how dangerous it is. For one, the torture-ridden artwork coupled with the neck-snapping breakdowns and the concerning names of the songs create a complete landscape of horror. The pacing of the songs will get you off guard–as “Yargonaut” teaches us: how come the song can have such a terrible introduction while having one of the heaviest drops I have ever heard?

Insomniac electro/rock artist HVDES joins Howland on the fun later with “Don’t You Dare Go Hollow” to remind us that “nothing lasts forever”. It’s like a horror movie: calm melodies are followed by ear-ripping content. There is even creative horror in the mix with “Ten Toad Anthem”, a song with melodies created from frog croaks.

If you are looking to escape from madness, even this album can help you. My favorite song of the compilation, “Forgive Forget”, is more melodic than you would imagine. Arcade machine sounds and colorful arpeggios contrast with vengeful lyrics like “when the pain makes it hard to stay / I will never, never forget, never forgive you”.

If you decide to give this album a try, understand your whole day will forever be changed. Brace yourself for the impending doom.