Demo-lition Derby: Rogyapa

Rogyapa
Ghettoblaster Sessions
New Jersey sky burial functionaries Rogyapa don’t telegraph their punch as much as send you a fax, a text and possibly shell out for a billboard to advertise their Discordance Axis aspirations with an opening cover of “Castration Rite.”
Eschewing a bassist, the band shoots for that same sleek, technical vibe that pervaded Jouhou and The Inalienable Dreamless, but they haven’t unlocked Rob Marton’s flair for hacking memorable tunes out of blasting chaos. The 15 and 20 second splinters of shrapnel they call songs lack the varied facets and sharp edges that elevated Discordance Axis over their peers. Instead, Rogyapa build each song around a single musical notion, following it to its logical conclusion. While that means the band never overextends their ideas, the songs also lack movement or growth. The obligatory downtrodden number “STD” (not the last song for a change!) gets in and out in 90 seconds and isn’t too much of a disruption.
The name Ghettoblaster Sessions isn’t just an affectation; the band tells me it’s a literal description of how they recorded their seven song demo. So expect a tinny, smushed live recording that’s festooned with keening guitar feedback. That also works against the band because the guitars often get swallowed in the noise, devouring any subtlety.
With some maturity and an actual studio, I could see Rogyapa flourishing in the increasingly crowded post-DxAx field. You can download Ghettoblaster Sessions here.