QUASIDIPLOID — Deconstruction (review)

QUASIDIPLOID — Deconstruction album cover

Album · 2024 · Technical Death Metal

3.5/5 · 2025-05-29
UMUR

"Deconstruction" is the debut full-length studio album by Japanese, Osaka based avant-garde/technical death metal act Quasidiploid. The album was released through Bloodcurdling Enterprise in July 2024. Quasidiploid formed in 2013 and released a 2014 demo and a 2015 demo before a longer recording break ensued. Thankfully it wasn´t the end of Quasidiploid and they have now resurfaced with "Deconstruction". Not surprisingly "Deconstruction" features no material from the two demos.

The album features 9 tracks and a total playing time of 24:08 minutes, so it´s fair to say you don´t get much quantity here, and that´s maybe a bit surprising given the fact that Quasidiploid has existed since 2013. You should think that the they by now would have a wealth of material, that they would like to put out, but they have obviously chosen another path and consciously release a short but effective debut album.

Using the word avant-garde in a description of the band´s music may scare off some listeners, but the core elements of "Deconstruction" is brutal technical death metal. Necrophagist and their clinical high powered precision death metal and the technical chaotic sound of early Cryptopsy are a valid references (with some added technical and heavy groove laden deathcore elements), but Quasidiploid add a lot of jazz/fusion elements to their music too. Female lead vocalist Yuki Amamiya plays the trumpet and the instrument is at times an integral part of the technical brutal death metal sound of the album (although it´s not omnipresent). The vocals are deep processed growling and effect laden high pitched screaming. Even though the album features two different vocal styles the vocal part of the album is a bit monotone and one-dimensional. There´s little emotion in the growling vocals and while the high pitched screaming vocals add an insane hysterical edge and are therefore a bit more engaging, I´d say the vocal part of the album is one of the weaker links of this release.

It´s obvious from listening to "Deconstruction" that Quasidiploid refuse to be labelled and they incorporate whatever musical element they find suitable without any regard for what others might think. While it´s certainly a bit odd at times and you have to have an open mind to appreciate this, I think the strange genre blending most of the time works pretty well. It´s actually the tracks where Quasidiploid take it all the way, that that they are most interesting. A more "normal" track like "Brutal Strafing" is for example not as interesting as some of the more experimental tracks (tracks like "Melodies of Distorted Time and Space", "ExtraVaganza Waltz ", and "Liberty 7/8").

"Deconstruction" features a clinical, sterile, and detailed sound production. It´s powerful and massive and suits the music well, but a little more filth and grit wouldn´t have hurt. Upon conclusion "Deconstruction" is a high quality debut release. It´s bold, fresh, and powerful sounding, but Quasidiploid still have a couple of things to work on for the next release. While the songwriting is varied and interesting, I´d like to hear the trumpet used in other ways than adding chaotic jazz/fusion parts to the music, and the growling vocals need more emotion and aggression to have more impact. So, at this point I´m more intrigued than satisfied but a 3.5 star (70%) rating is still deserved.