### The Acacia Strain: The dead walk

#### 31/08/06 || Lord K Philipson

Thanx to someone on the forums I heard this name mentioned briefly, thought the moniker sucked and didn’t give a fuck about checking the actual music out. Until now.

Meshuggah’s spawned alot of ugly babies since they started complicating music and losing everything related to groove. The Acacia Strain just sniffs a bit on Meshuggah’s stuff but makes the complete package something of their own, to some extent at least. And I applaud that. According to the band themselves: “We don’t like really like being compared to other bands because we are trying to write the most original music we can”. I wouldn’t say that The Acacia Strain is the most original thing I have heard since Peter Forsberg sang the Swedish National Anthem on TV, but they sure have a sound they can pretty much claim their own.

The Acacia-guys aren’t overly technical even though the sometimes weird arrangements makes me stop what I’m doing, just to listen more closely. That’s a good thing, bitches. Acacia’s heavy. Tons of chugga-chugga orgasms and some sub-basses, enough of those parts to make my Elvis grow a little actually. And when I say “little”, I’m still bigger than you.

ZING! (Zing-ing oneself is extremely awesome)

I have listened to this piece over the last few days and the groove that’s so often overlooked in this type of music is there, at least at times. I nod my head in a somewhat joyful manner. Some of the stuff feels quite dull and repetitive, and eventually it makes me lose concentration. But on the occasions when Acacia moves me with their shit, they really move me.

If you are a fan of quite groovy sections at times, together with some decent brutality alongside an absolutely astonishing production… The Acacia Strain is for you.

They are ok with me.

7/10.

- Information
- Released: 2006
- Label: Prosthetic Records
- Website: www.theacaciastrain.com
- Band
- Vincent Bennett: vocals
- Seth Coleman: bass
- Daniel Daponde: guitars
- Daniel Laskeiwitz: guitars
- Kevin Boutot: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Sarin: The End
- 02. Burn Face
- 03. 4×4
- 04. As If Set Afire
- 05. Angry Mob Justice
- 06. Whoa! Shut It Down
- 07. See You Next Tuesday
- 08. Pity
- 09. Predator Never Prey
- 10. The Dead Walk