Transcending Obscurity never fails to bring unique death metal bands to the spotlight, and the newest album to receive their care is the ironically vibrant "Depressants," the fourth full-length record by the Russian/Norwegian experimental outfit Defect Designer. This wacky group has been blending intricate death metal compositions with off-the-wall experimentation since 2005, and their now-consistent release schedule is proof of a band constantly evolving in sound. I have literally no idea what to expect here, which is a lovely feeling.

Dmitry and Martin run Defect Designer, handling vocals and both electric and bass guitars, while Eugene, the current Fleshgod Apocalypse drummer, chips in with session recordings. These three basic instruments seem quite unassuming, but Defect Designer contorts them in the most outlandish of ways. The band is heavily influenced by grindcore and deathgrind, focusing on extremely dense and overwhelming songs overflowing with blast beats, riffs, and pure, unfiltered chaos. I'd choose "Repeated Aversive Stimuli Inducer" as an example of their deathgrind tendencies, but, of course, the song suddenly morphs into a soft acoustic jam. It's a reminder to never get comfortable while listening -- at any given moment, they'll adapt to a radically different genre without warning, resulting in a record that sounds completely improvised. Defect Designer's ultra-noisy tenacity to provide the listener with quirky death metal is honestly admirable. There are as many styles shoved in this album as there are colors on its cover art; alt-metal ("Expiration Deferral Request Denied"), technical death metal ("Scorching the Rival Pogonomyrmex Burrows"), dark cabaret with an uncredited female vocalist ("Body Count of My Cow Tail), plus a metric assload of others. To further whiplash the listener, all previously mentioned songs play out consecutively.

Defect Designer has a clear grasp of how to make an entertaining album, and it's a good thing that they don't take themselves too seriously. They might, but with tracks titled "I Heard Robespierre Screamed Like a Bitch," I can assume they have a sense of humor. That attitude isn't obviously reflected, though. Euguene's drumming is of Fleshgod standards; very impressive. The main duo's vocals range from brutal grind gutturals to angsty punk yawps, which chameleon themselves into whatever sound Defect Designer chooses. Martin's bass, to my satisfaction, is audible in almost every track that includes it, whether a special solo or part of a barrage of riffs. The riffs aren't memorable per se, as I'm too focused on retaining each element that flies by in the fifty-six-minute runtime. I'll cut to the chase -- I didn't, and neither will you.

"Depressants" did everything but sadden me. Sure, it bewildered me, caught me off-guard, but depressed me? No way! Defect Designers has brought an eclectic album fit to surprise even the most tolerant of avant-gardists.