What makes Breathing Is Irrelevant by Ion Dissonance notable?

The album garnered significant attention within underground metal and hardcore circles, with its unique blend of technicality and aggression influencing many subsequent bands in the mathcore genre. Its critical reception was strong, noted for pushing boundaries in songwriting and complexity, helping to elevate Ion Dissonance's profile internationally. Breathing Is Irrelevant is Ion Dissonance's second studio album, following their debut, which established them within the mathcore scene. By this release in 2003, they had begun to refine their sound, showcasing an evolution towards tighter compositions and more complex arrangements that would solidify their place in heavy music.

How many songs are on Breathing Is Irrelevant?

Breathing Is Irrelevant has 9 tracks, running approximately 32 minutes.

Breathing Is Irrelevant

Ion Dissonance · 2003

32 min · 9 tracks · punk rock

A relentless barrage of dissonant riffs and frenetic rhythms punctuated by raw, visceral vocal delivery.

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Top tracks — play these first

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The Bud Dwyer Effect — This track exemplifies the band's signature style, merging chaotic instrumentation with poignant themes of despair and societal critique that resonate throughout the album.
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Failure in the Process of Identifying a Dream — Here, the band showcases their ability to balance intricate time signatures with emotionally charged lyrics, capturing the essence of existential struggle.
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The Death of One Man Is a Tragedy, the Death of 10,000 Is a Statistic — This track stands out for its provocative title and sharp lyrical commentary, reflecting on apathy towards mass suffering while delivering frenetic energy.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

61 /100

Treeline

Higher than 71% of albums we've rated

The album showcases intricate compositions and aggressive delivery, marking it as a standout in the mathcore genre.

What we noticed

Vocals are delivered in a raw, aggressive style that often overlaps with the instrumentation, blurring the lines between melody and chaos.
Several tracks incorporate dissonant chord progressions that challenge conventional harmonic structures, enhancing the album's intensity.

Composition 25% of the score: 7/10
Craft 20% of the score: 8/10
Durability 25% of the score: 6/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 5/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Tracklist

Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.

1 Substantial Guilt vs. The Irony of Enjoying 3:29
2 The Bud Dwyer Effect 4:41
3 Failure in the Process of Identifying a Dream 4:39
4 101101110110001 2:34
5 Binary, Part II 4:05
6 The Death of One Man Is a Tragedy, the Death of 10,000 Is a Statistic 2:02
7 Oceanic Motion 3:19
8 The Girl Nextdoor Is Always Screaming… 3:30
9 A Regular Dose of Azure 3:46

What to play next

Listen next

Solace

2005

Go back to

.357

2002

Full Ion Dissonance discography Artists like Ion Dissonance

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