Album Review: FERMENTOR Unleash Agreement

FERMENTOR is an instrumental metal duo featuring Dylan Marks on drums and Adam Wollach on guitar. Since their formation in 2008, they have released EPs in 2008, 2011, and 2015, along with full-length albums in 2020 and 2023. In January 2025, FERMENTOR unveiled a 17-track album titled “Release Me.” Following this release, the band began releasing singles weekly in anticipation of their forthcoming album “Agreement,” set to be released on August 15^th, 2025.  

“Agreement” is a 17-track all-improvised album that pushes the boundaries for FERMENTOR. You can hear the creativity in what Adam is looping on guitar and the fills Dylan has on drums. Mix that with unique time signatures and not exactly sticking to one genre, and you get “Agreement.” While this album pushes the band in a creative sense, it does lack qualities that would make it a great album. We will get into that, but first, the positives!

What I appreciated about “Agreement” is the evident musical chemistry between Dylan and Adam. In instrumental music, it's crucial to perceive the synergy between the members for it to be effective and connect with the audience. This is immediately apparent in the opening track “Wintry Earth.” 

“Wintry Earth” is a perfect track to open the album with. The bleak intro will make you feel like you're about to go on a journey with the band. The time signatures will keep you guessing throughout the entire 3:55 of the song. The surprising death metal finale gave off energy to the point where I wanted to have a one-man mosh pit in my office. “Wintry Earth” is one of the best opening tracks I’ve heard in a while because it sets the tone while showcasing both Adam and Dylan.

“Whisper Flesh” serves as an ideal continuation from the opening track “Wintery Earth.” The combination of loops and grooves with the blast beats energizes me and makes me eager to keep moshing. This track truly highlights Dylan’s drumming skills while Adam delivers some intriguing guitar licks. Adam gives his sections room to breathe, allowing Dylan and the drums to take center stage. I believe this will become a fan favorite both on the album and in live performances.  

“Deactivated” showcases the musical chemistry between both members with the time-shifting signatures and grooves. There are multiple times in this song where I got lost in the time changes but was quickly brought back with the unique groove or fill. Dylan’s work on the hi-hat and ride, mixing it with some quick double bass, is showcased throughout the 4:56-long track.  

The title track “Agreement” is a shorter track on the album but gets right to the point. “Agreement” has a hypnotic loop that really showcases Adam’s palm-muting guitar work. My personal favorite on this album is “There With That.” I love the guitar tone and the ride work from Dylan in the beginning. This song flows so smoothly with its transitions and allows Dylan to showcase his abilities to create unique drum grooves.     

"Agreement" is a 17-track album that highlights FERMENTOR's ability to push boundaries. However, my primary concern with this album lies in its production. When reviewing albums, I listen to them on desktop speakers, in the car, using various headphones, on a soundbar, and through PA speakers to evaluate the production quality. 

When I first listened to this album on my desktop speakers, the production quality of the opening song "Wintry Earth" raised questions within the first minute. By the end of the third track, my attention was entirely on the production, which seemed lackluster. On the second listen, I used headphones, and although it was slightly improved, it still didn't meet my expectations. I hoped that playing it in the car, on different headphones, or through a soundbar would enhance the quality, but it remained dull. Listening through the PA speaker did improve the sound, but I'm unsure if that was due to the increased volume or if the album was specifically produced for a PA system. 

When I think about all instrumental metal bands, I think of Animals as Leaders or Polyphia, and then I think about how good the production quality is on their albums. The quality makes or breaks an album, especially in the instrumental genre.

One minor issue I had with this album is the low end. I know that this is a two-piece band that consists of drums and guitar, but I feel like having bass would add more of a full sound to the album and in their live performance. There are multiple moments on this album where I really wanted to hear some low-end bass punch through, but all I got was silence. FERMENTOR doesn’t need to add a bassist but having backing tracks or going to a lower tuning so you achieve that low end would elevate their sound even more.

This album definitely pushes boundaries for FERMENTOR, but I wished they had pushed even further. It features some fantastic songs, moments, grooves, and riffs, yet I found myself craving more. I hoped Adam would deliver some mind-blowing solos akin to those by Polyphia or Jason Richardson, or incorporate mesmerizing effects similar to those in Night Verses. 

My first listen to FERMENTOR’s album “Agreement” left me feeling meh. I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. I was disappointed in the production and felt like it could have been mixed better. However, after listening to it multiple times, the album has grown on me. I can hear what they were going for and absolutely respect them for doing something that most bands could never do, which is releasing two albums in a single year. I also love the idea of releasing a single every week until the album is ready to be dropped. This is something more bands should consider doing because of how attention spans are today and how we consume music. This is a marketing genius idea, and I am curious about how well that did for FERMENTOR to gain new followers.

Even with my issues with the production, I would still recommend this album to anyone who loves metal and instrumentals. I would just recommend listeners put on headphones and really submerge themselves in this album. You will then hear some amazing guitar riffs, drum fills, weird time signatures, and crazy blast beats that should not go together... but do.