Andy Cairns from Therapy? was around when industrial music hit big. He knows it was punks trying to play electronic music. Sure they have taken influence from that era, but this is sludged out rock with punk attitude. Not far removed from Therapy?'s heavier moments, these guys hit you with fuzzed out guitars and sullen vocals. Sometimes yelled more than others. It opens with more of that big punk energy. There is a raw dissonance roughing up the riffs. 'Reality Crash" has the Led Zeppelin like swagger that Uncle Al often aspired to. There is something sonically hedonistic about it that still works here.
"Rot" is more of a sludged out dirge, with a dystopian Pink Floyd like feel. The album is getting darker with each song, which is something I can appreciate. "Total Protonic Reversal" is more of an experimental groove than a song that you find yourself going back for repeat listens. "Bring Home the Motherlode" has a more hypnotic groove even in the face of the noise it collides with. It is very sonically dense, and takes you on a droning journey. "Hellbent on Happiness" is more metallic. The sung vocals offset some of the aggression while the lower more whispered one give it a more death metal feel.
"the Dead Drop' is more brooding , but a chorus does manage to soar from it's murk. Having already heard Helmet's cover of Bjork's classic "Army of Me" I am not as impressed with this version and think they could have taken better notes in what worked with that one like the vocals being more present. Overall this album is a great deal of fun and I like it. I will give this a 9. Fans of Therapy? will enjoy this as well as fans of the days when industrial bands were actually bands. This comes out May 26th on Svart Records, I highly recommend it.
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