DCXPC are back with their brand new format Live&Dead, this time introducing the Florida-based metal band Moat Cobra. DCxPC Live & Dead Vol. 01 Presents Moat Cobra is a mix of live recordings on side A “Live” and studio recordings on side B “Dead”, all pressed on limited 200 copies of violet vinyl, with a pre-order opening on the 14th of Jul 2023. With Moat Cobra‘s diverse well-mixed elements, this record is one to not be missed if you’re an extreme music fan. Let me tell you more about it.
Moat Cobra kickstarts side A (Live) with the heaviness of Blood Crops, an aggressive tune that comes last on side B (Dead) offering a high note ending, while creating a smooth inviting build-up for the brutality to come on the live show with its interesting jazzy drumming, dense pounding riffs, and heavily dynamic structure. Devour comes next building on its predecessor’s intense sound and pushing it even further into a faster, attacking pace, boosting their live set’s energy and taking their fast powerful flow to the next level. Opening with a big sound and slow hard-hitting groove, Bad Star comes next. Reserving the 4th slot on the “Dead” side, Bad Star has a raw groove with a changing structure with dynamic twists and turns that kept it fresh and interesting, and showed Moat Cobra cleverly handling those shifts in a balanced organized arrangement lacking no anger or hard-banging moments. Singularity is where hell gates break open, Moat Cobra mixes their punk-ish attitude and thrashy influences into a riffing hurricane that occupies the 6th slot on the “Dead” side, keeping the heaviness and intensity intact till the end. The attacking riffs and vocals feel like they’re coming at us with full force, keeping the listeners intimidated and following their riffs and blasting beats from beginning to the very end while adding a tint melodic touch to their guitar work that made the riffs catchier and even more interesting. Cementing their raw brutal sound as we’re getting closer to the “Live” side’s end, comes Gladius Vulgarius. Coming at the 5th spot on both sides, Gladius Vulgarius hits with slow dense riffs and a smooth flow that guides the listeners throughout its well-arranged shifts. I believe this is my favorite so far off the record, as it shows Moat Cobra‘s detailed writing and their focus on delivering such diverse structures and compositions without compromising their brutality. Soffo Cone comes next showing no mercy with its rollercoaster riff and raw expressive vocals. Its harshness and brutality are loud and clear, all in a short precise dose that’ll make you play it over and over again. Ending the “Live” side with the same high energy it started with comes Permian. Another brief condensed tune that’ll get everyone that’s listening to either the “Live” or “Dead” sides off their seats crazily headbanging, alive version shows how those guys brilliantly close their set leaving the crowd asking for more. Moving to the B side “Dead” we’ll find a couple of tracks that were not included in the live set Prelude and Lick the Knife. Prelude opens with a fluid riff and catchy playful drumming, it has a melodic core that showed another side of Moat Cobra‘s writing and it acted as a build-up to the next song Lick the Knife. Lick the Knife has a sludgy hard-hitting sound that gave its aggressive vocals lots of depth. Its heavy flow pushes forward creating a highly dynamic structure with some unpredictable shifts that keep the listeners hooked and entertained with its cool build-ups that allowed every section to be properly listened to setting the mood for the next and so on.
DCxPC Live & Dead Vol. 01 Presents Moat Cobra is a cool record that introduces the listeners to Moat Cobra‘s music in two different ways at once, showing us their energy and chemistry on the “Live” side while giving us a more polished and writing-focused version on the studio “Dead” side, listening to both will easily get you hooked on their music as both offer different vibes and feelings with 100% guaranteed headbanging. Looking forward to more from Moat Cobra and DCxPC, keep on rocking. Cheers!
