Transcendental. If there’s one thing that will never stop getting shoved down everyone’s throats these days is how every band from here to there and back again are transcending a genre. And some do, but plenty play masquerade. However, when there’s a collaboration on the line between to bands like The Body and Krieg suddenly things feel like they shake up and some boundaries become loose.
It comes to mind that the latest Abigail Williams album had a song called “Path of Broken Glass”, and such a title would suit the whole of The Body & Krieg collaboration if the path were also littered with fire salts. This is an album that’s frustratingly aggressive but also bleak and miserable. And it’s fucking loud.
The noise from the opener “Bottom of the Bottle, Bottom of the River” is the kind of thing that’ll wake you up. A strong sting and then the song breaks in, moody, sludgy and just frothing. The dual vocal assaults of Chip King (The Body) and Neil Jameson (Krieg) give the piece an eerie, haunted feel; with Jameson on the aggressive and King with the high-pitched howl. But just getting through this harsh, noise addled ear punch is the first four-and-a-half minutes.
The thing is, the album always move slow, but it’s like a slow, torturous cut. “Carved Out and Caved In” brings out some heavy, distorted depressive black metal ala Blue Miasma, albeit more electronic. And “Fracture” keeps up the pace, bringing out more sludge and metallic stings. Along with a distorted acoustic section that brings down the track.
However, the collaboration is at its strongest with “Celebrate Your Shame.” The track is a moody, heavy piece of black metal sludge. It stampedes forward, lead by Jameson’s scream until hitting a toppling breakdown. It’s heavy and thundering in its savagery. And it’s here that the function, the collaboration, feels like it’s really bloomed. Full on sludgy black metal that feels unstoppable.
I’ve read reviews in the past that knocked down collaborations with The Body because it didn’t feel like things meshed or because things that make a band’s sound identifiable get pushed to the background to make room for the new guys in the room. So if albums like the double Thou project Released From Love/You, Whom I have Always Hated or one of their more recent collaboration with Vampillia didn’t cut it for you don’t worry. Just don’t. It didn’t do it for you? Fine. What works so well about this is two-fold: the chemistry and the, well, body of works for both bands. Krieg and The Body both have scope in their sound. Here, they gel together rather than simply play off each other. It sounds more like an actual band than a collaborative effort; it’s chemistry.
If you’re not too familiar with either band here, don’t worry, jump right in. The Body & Krieg is some seriously heavy shit that hits hard on every song. Is it transcendental? No, it plays within its boundaries fine; certainly better than I’d expect from 99% of other bands. And for something that was supposedly written in two days it sounds more like something that was being written over the course of two years. It’s noisy, it’s heavy, angry, and goddamn depressing. And fucking hell is it great.
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