Have you ever tried tuning a guitar so low that the walls start to shake? That’s exactly the kind of effect The Kartetch have bottled up in their new EP, The Fallacy. Four tracks where hardcore meets dense, almost viscous shoegaze, and the familiar boundaries between psychedelic rock and gothic atmospheres blur and dissolve in a haze of reverberating echoes.

photo by Laura Kaltakhchian

The sound breaks every stereotype. The Kartetch blend post-rock distortion with a psychedelic nirvana, layering it with a dark aura that sends chills down your spine. These compositions refuse to let anyone dodge their questions. The band seems to take pleasure in erasing the line between harmless shoegaze and forceful, almost combative guitars. Who said shoegaze has to be quiet? Here, the speakers are pushed to their limits — the low frequencies rumble as if ripped straight from the depths of the underworld.

While listening, your senses have no chance to escape. The opening seconds feel like an invitation to peer into an otherworldly realm, but then the drums kick in, making it clear: the ideological mantra “Don’t dodge the answers” isn’t an empty phrase. These rhythms drag you out of your comfort zone and pin you against the wall, forcing you to confront the full force of noise walls and guitar veils. There’s no room for nostalgic tears here — only the triumph of heavy tones and the magic of reimagined styles.

Across its four tracks, the EP casts a shadow, offering a fresh perspective on familiar genres. Perhaps the “Shoegaze can be with fists” concept is just a provocation—or maybe it’s the truth, buried under layers of insistent feedback and piercing chords. The Kartetch masterfully balance a sound capable of tearing through club walls with a hypnotic aftertaste you’ll want to savor alone, somewhere quiet, under the howling wind.

Four Facets of Sonic Darkness

The Kartetch waste no time on hesitation. The moment The Fallacy begins, it pulls you into a chaotic, resonant world of heavy guitars and hypnotic vocals. The opening track, The Sightseeing Night, grabs you by the collar with grimy riffs that sound like they were recorded in a basement, where the echoes grow louder against brick walls. The sound is dense and heavy, like industrial smoke, with sinister whispers buried in the noise. Have The Kartetch decided to plant their dark secrets directly into your mind? The track launches the release with force, leaving you with an uneasy anticipation—you can tell it’s only going to get louder, rawer, and more captivating.

photo by Laura Kaltakhchian

Next comes Sycophants, a track with an undeniably turbulent personality. Its guitars swirl in the air, twisting into lush lines, only to collide with thunderous drums that land like hammer blows on an anvil. Artem Rynkovsky’s voice cuts through the sonic haze, dissolving into a fog of reverb. The fractured structure keeps you on edge, teetering on the brink of a nocturnal nightmare from which there’s no waking escape.

On Time — the third track — feels like the middle of a fever dream. It’s a grunge whirlwind, where Rynkovsky’s voice takes on deeper, slightly raspy tones, radiating defiance and passion. Here, the guitars are overloaded to the limit, the drums play in a burst of rage, and the entire composition comes together like a bow stretched to its absolute limit. The song builds momentum as it progresses, culminating in a spectacular sonic catharsis. It’s the EP’s high point, the moment where it becomes clear: The Kartetch know exactly how to throw their listeners off balance.

And then comes the finale — The Birth, a track that begins almost deceptively calm. A gentle intro merges with subdued vocals, offering a brief respite. But by the chorus, you’re hit by a tidal wave of heavy psychedelic metal, shattering the soundscape into fragments. It’s both thunderous and meticulously crafted, as if the band planned every detail of this mystical journey. The final track reveals The Kartetch as sonic explorers, weaving an auditory labyrinth with crushing guitars, rich vocals, and a deliberate structure.

The Fallacy by The Kartetch is a confident leap into a darker corner of the underground, where heavy guitars coexist effortlessly with shoegaze’s hazy textures. If you’re looking for music that will jolt your perception and challenge conventional standards, this EP hits the mark. Crank it up to surprise your neighbors—or throw on headphones and let the basslines rattle your nerves. Somewhere deep within, there might be answers you’ve been searching for. Or maybe not, but who’s checking now?

*This review was made possible by SubmitHub