The first new album from the industrial duo in 7 years finds them snarling back with a renewed chaotic aggression. It chronicles the stint of sobriety Leo Ashline has as well as the relapse that followed. Ben Chisholm from Chelsea Wolfe's band produced this. The first song picks up where they left off, while "Glass Shithouse" is more confrontational, like Virgin Prunes jamming with Full of Hell. It takes a few listens to really sink in. "Entertainment Law" has equal doses of fragmented groove and glitched-out noise. It all ends up coming together.
"Spitting Images" finds the manic scream shifting into more melodic vocals that are very deliberate, giving the song form and function. "Love Makes You Fat" is a violent outburst set to sound. I could not say set to music as the sonics are weaponized past that point, going into it. They do allow room for dynamic and things to shift in a very nightmarish manner. Things get darker and more dramatic as it progresses. "Playboy Body" makes more sense even as the musical oddity that it is. "Baker Act" is an interesting take on being forcibly hospitalized due to mental health issues; the abrasive edge is a fair depiction of what might have been going on in his head at the time. The more scathing vocals are being used in a more hard-core manner in terms of cadence and syncopation.
"Eject Button' makes me think of what Mindless Self-Indulgence might sound like if they were drugged-out deviants in real life. " A Dying Wage" is the most melodic moment brought to the table so far. Of course, I am a fan of these moments. "Riding the Clock" sounds like something Mike Patton might do if he were up for dark adventure and a crack pipe. The song dissipates into weird ambiance before gathering its senses. "Murphy Artist" is a bizarre take on what I am not sure we are even calling industrial at this point. I am guessing "the Rooms" is about AA meetings, given the context of the album. It's a great song either way. I will give this one a 9.5, and see how it grows on me but loving it so far and glad to have these guys back.
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