Deadguy - Fixation on a Coworker (1995)^{Release ID: 1848}

Deadguy’s one and only album “Fixation on a Coworker” has been given semi-legend status among Metalcore and considered one of the earliest Mathcore records around. The record’s got some mean vocals and guitar work to match, emanating a misanthropic attitude and some baseline human negativity, packaged up with some filthy noise.

Unfortunately, the coolest thing about this album to me is the title, which is both hilarious and batshit insane. The music is good, but even after repeated listens, I can’t recall a god dammed song on it. I also didn’t hear anything particularly “mathy” about this, most of it was mid-tempo and not unlike other Metalcore of the time technically and rhythmically. In one ear out the other, though it was a pleasant ride.

One band to really put the metal in metalcore and the math in mathcore is Deadguy (not to be confused with German power metallers Edguy). There are more popular bands of those genres, but a few of the less active bands would have you keep keep listening. Though I've already experienced Botch and Converge, Deadguy is what's missing for me! For their debut and only album, Fixation on a Coworker, we have the most real metallic hardcore you'll ever witness, with such beauty and chaos to inspire new bands.

The production is quite grand yet sharp, as sharp as a razorblade! The angular riffs shred like buzzsaws alongside heavy tom hits. And there's never the need for any recycled emotion, it's just rage all the way through.

"Doom Patrol" starts with a direct punch in the face as speedy riffs sear through riff harmonic dissonance. The intense vocals by Tim Singer (who shouts, not sings) is just what metallic hardcore really needs, working especially well in the slow breakdown. "Pins and Needles" has more intricate syncopation as you hear in your mind all that's happening to you. The lyrics focus on the horrors of reality instead of the gory film horror that death metal bands fixate on, inspiring a dark yet modern future. The mid-paced "Die With Your Mask On" keeps up the standard-tuned riff wrath as you hear a ranting frenzy in the vocals ("so quick to deny and patronize"). That's a much better way to start mathcore than the overly experimental Candiria!

"Baby Arm" once again makes sure the band is armed for another metal-mathcore war. The more dissonant "Makeshift Atomsmasher" has more unpredictable brutality that would level up a moshpit. They can sound so technical in such a short song length. "The Extremist" once again takes things to the extreme.

"Nine Stitches" has the kind of bridge you wish to have in music class, with as many time changes as The Dillinger Escape Plan can have, enough to induce f***ing confused headbanging. "Riot Stairs" starts clean and gloomy. Then the drums speed up to fast hardcore with thundering growls ("therapy and love"). There's rapid metal complexity all over "Apparatus". Finally, the 6-minute "Crazy Eddie" starts with a riff that's like Slayer but slower, then after a pause, some kick-A rhythm before a final hard chord strike.

Who needs solos and breakdowns when you can have nothing but f***ing technical heaviness!? Fixation on a Coworker is the right album for metalcore fans, and it's disappointing that this band ended too soon. Essential metal/mathcore that you can't skip in your life!

Favorites: "Doom Patrol", "Die With Your Mask On", "Makeshift Atomsmasher", "Nine Stitches", "Apparatus"