Lifeless Dark – Forces of Nature’s Transformation

It’s been seven years since Boston, Massachusetts’ Lifeless Dark released their Who Will Be the Victims? debut release. The five-track record, which was an absolute menace of old-school stenchcore, created an underground maelstrom, even inspiring Darkthrone’s Fenriz to conjure the first riff on the song “Alp Man” from the Norwegian band’s 2019 LP, Old Star.

In the meantime, the sound of ‘80s purveyors like Amebix, Sacrilege, Hellbastard, Deviated Instinct, Antisect, and Celtic Frost, not to mention the proto-thrash/black metal current of that era, has once again taken the global underground by storm. Back in December, Lifeless Dark unleashed their full-length debut, Forces of Nature’s Transformation, which expands on the band’s trademark sound, resulting in what could easily be described as a modern classic.

On their first LP, Lifeless Dark infuse their well-known ‘80s crust/stench/thrashcore influences with a strong anarcho-punk message and aesthetic, creating 42 minutes of pure perfection. Between mid-tempo neck-breakers like the colossal “Chalice of Vision” and the d-beat chaos of “Fear No Evil,” the band take their time to craft every riff and song section to perfection.

Self-produced to the bone, Forces of Nature’s Transformation unleashes an incredibly balanced wall of sound—where guitar solos and leads cut deep, and the riffs cast a thick shadow, radiating the record’s anti-capitalist message and themes. “Cryptic Remains,” from its very first notes, plays with intriguing guitar licks, Elaine’s incredible vocals, and a tight rhythm section, serving as the album’s centerpiece. It’s a record that constantly balances on a double edge.

The nine tracks on Forces of Nature’s Transformation reflect a vast array of (not so) obscure influences, keeping a vital tradition of punk anti-culture alive while showcasing the band’s ability to reintroduce the sound and aesthetic principles of their background to a newer audience. Personally, I often catch myself tracing echoes of Nausea, Extinction of Mankind, Filth of Mankind, Chaotic End, Stormcrow, Hellkrusher—even later acts like Appalachian Terror Unit and Swordwielder. This genealogy, along with bold compositional choices, such as the gloom-and-doom segments of the introductory “Monsters of Man’s Invention / The Forgotten”, maps the triumph of Lifeless Dark. In their own words, the Boston band charts the collapse of 21st-century empires.

For a record that dwells deep in societal decay, full of ominous messages and desperate cries, Lifeless Dark’s first album shines with hope. With lyrics destined to be shouted in live shows and songs begging for repeated listens, Forces of Nature’s Transformation is the perfect stenchcore/thrashcore album. It’s the sonic equivalent of the aftermath of an inevitable, destructive event—only to become the bearer of a fragile hope. Sometimes, all it takes is a glimpse of the future to manifest it, and Lifeless Dark search for it amidst the ruins of the present and the past.