“Conflict State Design often feels like a greatest hit of ideas, which is not entirely a criticism, but there are times when, despite the incredible execution and sound on the album, it feels like you’re listening to a perfect blend of Godflesh and Fear Factory.” – The Sleeping Shaman “Finland’s Dome Runner offer an hard-industrial bridge between Godflesh at their angriest and earliest Fear Factory‘s mechanized chugging assault. Conflict State Design is the trio’s first full-length, and along with the stated influences, there’s some pull from sludge and noise as well, shades of Fudge Tunnel in “Unfollow” met with harsh screaming or the churning riff underscoring the explosions of synth in “The Undemonizing Process,” like roughed-up Souls at Zero-era Neurosis. With the seven-minute extreme wash of “Impure Utility of Authoritarian Power Structure” at its center, Conflict State Design harkens back to the dreary industrialism of two decades ago — it very pointedly doesn’t sound like Nine Inch Nails — but is given a forward-thinking heft and brutality to match. Amid something of an industrial revival in the heavy underground, Dome Runner‘s debut stands out. More to the point, it’s fucking awesome.” – The Obelisk “Dome Runner is an utterly outstanding industrial metal unit from Tampere, Finland whose approach boasts one hell of an early-’90s influence—bringing to mind Pitchshifter, Godflesh, Dead World, etc. Think crushing heaviness, mechanically thudding percussion, and just the right amount of dissonant atmospheric texture or subtle melody that at its best—which is often—exhibits similarities to the masterful aesthetic force of scarce Napalm Death tracks such as “Contemptuous,” which is a huge compliment as far as I’m concerned!” – Aversionline
