Thursday, January 19, 2023

MSPAINT : "Post- American"

 





This band from Mississippi claims to be synth punk and breaking new ground. Perhaps they are. However, the rapped vocals placed them closer to nu metal. The odd novelty of what is going on catches my attention on the first song. This wears off by the second song. The drums are energetic, the synths occupy the space guitars would be if this was POD or Limp Bizkit. They are not going for the same frat boy style of grooves those bands had in the 90s.  The angular touch of the synths strays further from the nu metal sound, the vocals are more shouted than rapped. At least on the first verse. 

"Hardwired" is more aggressive and the chanted chorus is almost catchy. This works better than the more confusing collision of sounds that is "Delete It", things continue down a spiral from there as it heads in more of a Death Grips direction for "S3". The frantic punk of "Decapitated Reality " feels like they are trying too hard.  When things slow down it works better for them. At time there is an industrial feel to the unwieldly synth riffs against the drums. The title track has a little more melody to him to yell over.  "Free From the Sun" reminds me of pre-Patton Faith no More, thought they were more melodic than what is going down here. 

The best lyrics might be on "Titan of Hope" that finds a more hip-hop cadence delivering the lyrics. He is rapping like a new age self-help speaker. Especially when he talks about everything being connected.  There are more aggressive moments like when he commands you to let your mind out the gate. The last song finds the music getting more abrasive, which feels more along the lines of Death Grips, the lyrics are even ranted in a similar manic fashion. I will give this album an 8 it might hold similarities to other artists sonically, but the overall picture is the band doing their thing, and I think they are making the music they set out to accomplish, so while it might not be my thing, they are doing a good job for their intended audience I will give it an 8. 

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