Last month, Saltee took listeners on a ride with his liquid-tinged tunes, “Unkindled” and “Sif.” He’s now returned to the airwaves with a double dose of metal-infused drum & bass. For “Tradition of Torment” and “Heart of Darkness,” he replaced the more ethereal atmosphere he previously created with vivid, industrial hellscapes more akin to something found in DOOM Eternal.
On the leadoff single, “Tradition of Torment,” Saltee recruited the help of his longtime friend Marko Kokotovic for some impressive guitar work. Opening the gates early with haunting, distorted vocals and massive guitar riffs, the anticipation for the boss fight begins. Once fused with Saltee’s masterful production, the bass-fueled action sequence finds an addicting groove and elevates the metal amalgam to the next level.
Trading in the fire and brimstone for a more high-tech aesthetic, Saltee leans more towards his electronic side for “Heart of Darkness.” Through the use of clever synths and repeating vocals, he conjures intense visions of a dystopian universe with a tincture of industrial flair for good measure. The final result is a stellar two-track release from the Denver producer showcasing his ability to tell evocative tales with his music.
When speaking on the pair of new releases, Saltee explains that they’re only the beginning of his dive into the world of original metal crossovers. “I have bootlegged and remixed a lot of metal tracks in the past, as I think metal and drum & bass have a lot of similarities when it comes to tempo and the overall soundscapes,” he said. “This is just the first original hybrid metal and drum & bass track I’m releasing and there will be plenty more in the next year.
He also explained how the theme of his latest fuses well with the gritty, darkened aesthetic commonly found on the label they call home. “I’m also glad it landed on the HYBRID BLAK imprint,” Saltee continued. “I feel like the label is a great fit for a dark, somewhat industrial-influenced sound with plenty of metal styling.”
“Tradition of Torment” and “Heart of Darkness” are out now via HYBRID BLAK. You can download the pair of metal-infused drum & bass offerings on Bandcamp.
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