BROKEN DOWN First Spit CD

The 2015 album First Spit by the French project Broken Down, released via Altsphere Production, is an eccentric and experimental work that deliberately avoids easy categorization within the metal genre. Led by multi-instrumentalist Jeff Maurer, the project delivers a provocative fusion of Industrial, Doom, and Avant-Garde Metal, often infused with elements of Stoner Rock, Sludge, and subversive pop deconstruction. The physical release is presented in a 4 panel CD digifile (branded as a Mint Pack), an eco-friendly format limited to 500 copies that reflects the project's unconventional and underground spirit. Musically, the record functions as a sonic anti-art manifesto, utilizing turgid riffs, martial rhythms, and electronic glitches to create a sense of discomfort and cynical humor. This is perhaps most apparent in its bizarre reworkings of pop culture, such as the track Doom, which is inspired by Eiffel 65's Blue, and Like a Witch (Daddy Doom), a sludge-heavy reimagining of Boney M.’s disco hit Daddy Cool. Throughout the album, Maurer balances aggressive growls with out-of-tune clean vocals and southern-tinged grooves, resulting in a disjointed yet fascinating experience. By blending the industrial weight of bands like Godflesh with an almost satirical take on doom, First Spit stands as a polarising and unique document of the French avant-garde scene.