2023-10-12 18:47:27
Mike Vennart and Simon Neil have with that Empire State Bastard-Debut album Rivers of Heresy A metal playground was created, the material of which would have been decidedly too violent and over-the-top for the two Brits’ traditional platforms.
However, the result is a valve that corresponds to the former Oceansize-Board of Directors and the Biffy Clyrovoice – as well as the legend Dave Lombardo (Slayer, Fantomas, Mr. Bungle, Testament) along with Bitch Falcon-Bassist Naomi Macleod on the woofer – will probably bring more joy than (at least the regular customers recruited by their main bands) listeners.
Because the idea and intention behind the project (“make the most fucking poisonous vile music we possibly might, just unabridged hatred in musical form” or “lyrically as misanthropic and nihilistic” as only possible for the two of them) seem more serious in their energetically implemented playfulness than the underlying songwriting, which often appears to be put together in a rather fragmentary way, it quickly becomes clear following a sparking phase of getting to know each other: It is very easy to get fed up with the ruckus that occasionally degenerates into an end in itself listen, while the emotional added value that can be derived from it remains manageable and even really aggressive letting off steam doesn’t offer enough catharsis.
Harvest In any case, with a thrashy riff and hysterically barking Patton-isms, escalating peaks and poisonous hissing roars in the amplitudes of controlled recitation and outbursts, it immediately presents the status quo, is emphatically brushed on striking madness with a pinch of catchy catchy tune tendencies, the contrasts of heaviness before the furious, shooting exit, but forcing more of a desire than a need; as a statement, if you will.
Blusher On the other hand, it likes itself as a grindy-mathy sludge club, Converge-Density with death hatchings, takes his passages to task in constant interplay, and Moi? With a rumbling bass and muted, strolling percussion, thanks to his clear vocals, it comes closer to a nebulous bar version of doomriding Mutoid Mon the Biff with Mr. Bungle-Groove – out the back even with a stadium-“Ohhhhh“ in the shredder, before the snappy riff rocker Stutter the straight accessibility with retro synth shimmer melodic harmony. In part, so much remains stuck in this steam boiler, but around it there is a paradox of cerebralism and impulsiveness. Often this is neither meat nor fish when the catchy passages are close Biffy cannot arouse their enthusiastic euphoria, while the angry segments are constructed too generically and do not really take a hateful look at them.
Nevertheless: in the confronting moment this ambivalence works. That too long Tired, Aye? relies only on his drumming and screaming, is structurally grippy, but freed from conventional expression, before the sparsely reduced slow-mo reverberation Dusty minimalist tirades. Yes, all the masters of their craft involved are noticeably keen on this darling of theirs and enjoy a certain freedom from fools – the demonstrative aggression can actually be a diametrically articulated enjoyment of the harshness.
Sons and Daughters celebrated as Drone Metal a la Boris its hook as sustained as it is immediate, repetitive and stoic, Palms of Hands bullied like Helmet in sharp-edged noise rock with a punky stop-and-go mode. Then gallop Sold! with a poppy, snappy, shaking twist to the fat rock bastard and The Looming gathers itself into a viscous yet conciliatory finale with a doomy attitude, call and response persistence of hissing nastiness and occultly bellowed bull’s neck full of meditative patience.
All of this is always more than just good during consumption (and therefore feels a point too undervalued at this point), but apart from the eclectic momentum it cannot maintain the exciting appeal and the resulting gravitas to attract frequent (or even regular) consumption. How much Bock Empire State Bastard with Rivers of Heresy live and what potential the duo suggests for the future is a different story.
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