"Deformity Adrift" is the second full-length album from the international dissonant death metal band, NIGHTMARER. It was released on NIGHTMARER's own Total Dissonance Worship record label, a subsidiary of Vendetta Records. Their EPK describes the album as: "NIGHTMARER's most diverse work to date, venturing far beyond the conventions of the already unconventional genre of Dissonant Death Metal, without sacrificing even an ounce of viciousness. Strong undercurrents of Industrial and Doom Metal can be found throughout this 32 min behemoth of a record, which ends with an oppressive wall of sound that will leave you bruised and battered."

The first track, "Brutalist Imperator," kicks the album off with some dense, complex technical guitar licks. There is an ever-present discordant undercurrent that permeates this track as well as the entire album. John Collett's angry, low, growled vocals add an unsettled sinister element that is also ever-present. The instrumentation is percussive and djent-adjacent, making for an impenetrable offering. "Throe Of Illicit Withdrawal" is equally as challenging. The only semblance of an anchor to follow is the thunderous guitar work provided by Simon Hawemann and Keith Merrow. I found myself getting lost in the music while trying to follow every diverting sonic pathway, an experience that I find most thrilling. There are times when the song approaches melody, only to divert quickly in an unexpected direction. I particularly enjoyed the low, chugging guitar work paired with the slow, deep vocal delivery.

"Suffering Beyond Death" also features the same type of vocal style. The guitars are notably cacophonous, especially when played over Seidel's infectious blast beats. Seidel positively slays on this track. Session musician Brendan Sloan's bass guitar work positively slays on this track too. This one is mostly a slow burn that still keeps the listener guessing throughout its entirety. There are a few flirtations with harmony, but not so much as to make for an easygoing affair. "Taufbefehl," which translates to "baptismal" in English, is sung in alternating German and English passages, with additional vocals from Christian Kolf and Jan Buckard. The drums start out serving as a click track, then enter punk rock territory. The track also meanders in and out of the "heavy as a ten-ton hammer" realm.

The final track, "Obliterated Shrine," has an extended instrumental introduction, then lumbers forth like a stalking behemoth. It is truly a powerful experience. There are a few melodic asides that are short-lived but welcome. The track does end with an oppressive wall of sound as mentioned in the EPK. Overall, "Deformity Adrift" is a harsh, unmelodious monolith of an album. If you're curious about dissonant death metal or enjoy challenging music, this album is a great place to start. If you are after a more mellifluous, harmonious sound, then you should steer clear of anything even remotely close to NIGHTMARER.