Flenser artist “Genital Shame” is set to release her second full-length album Wellness Plan on October 30th, and following her previous single “I Want to Die Before You,” she has dropped another taster of the upcoming album titled “Down Titration Strategies.” About the track, sole member Erin Dawson says, “I think all the time about how little upstream things (events, lingering thoughts) can have large downstream effects. This song plays with vaguely medical language to describe that snowballing effect, adjusting measurements of attachment, life-affirming positions, and self-destructive tendencies.” You can listen to “Down Titration Strategies,” as well as pre-order Wellness Plan below:
Albums like these are the reason why it’s important to not view music as mere entertainment. Though it is nice to use it as a form of escapism, sometimes we need something to reflect the harsh realities of life. Music to make you stop and ask “What the fuck are we doing?!” Genocide, climate change, AI, and a mundane existence living under the boot of capitalism are all topics many artists with a platform fail to acknowledge for fear of pissing off the wrong people and losing their livelihood. In a way, I can’t blame them. The threat of losing it all for simply speaking out against the norm must be terrifying, but that is the very thing that further perpetuates a system that only benefits the rich and privileged, while the less fortunate live in fear and uncertainty. At some point you gotta wake up. Though most of us aren’t going to lead a revolution, it is nice when a band like “Chat Pile” externalizes every frustration we feel.
What is Chat Pile? Are they Metal? Well, they’re definitely heavy. They definitely blend various forms of challenging music such as Sludge Metal, Pigfuck, Noise Rock, Gothic Rock, Industrial, and Nu Metal, but simply calling their music Metal, or any of the genres I just mentioned doesn’t sum up their sound. At the end of the day, they’re fucking Chat Pile. Plain and simple. Their music sounds like four dudes from Oklahoma got together and made some noise, and this noise is so damn good! It’s unhinged, it’s anxious, it’s filled with existential dread, but it grooves like early “Korn” and it’s heavily cathartic. Their new album Who Loves The Sun is their thesis statement.
Serving as both a reference to “The Velvet Underground,” and commentary on climate change, Who Loves The Sun captures the anxiety and frustration that is brought on by late-stage capitalism, social disconnect, the state of surveillance, and environmental damage, but instead of wagging his finger or indulging in corny sloganeering, lead singer Raygun Busch expresses pure frustration with a very manic, anxious, and at times terrifying delivery that can make anyone feel uneasy, and that’s the point. It’s not just a cliché to say “everything is fucked,” because everything really is fucked, and if there’s going to be music that reflects our frightening reality, it’s going to be very ugly. However, believe it or not, this music isn’t all pessimistic, because underneath the very bleak and somber nature of this album, there’s optimism to be found, and that optimism lies in catharsis, because after that release of frustration and anger, it’s nice to know you’re not the only one that feels this way, which inspires a hopeful attitude and may even prompt someone to take a positive action. After tracks that tackle themes such as workplace degradation, (PEN I S MALL), digital alienation, (Deep Blue), and character-driven Horror stories, (Intruder), (Family Funeral), the album ends on the notion that everything will be fine on the track “October All the Time.” However, does Raygun truly believe this, or is he just trying to convince himself? There’s no clear answer, just like there’s no clear answer to the question “are we going to be okay?” I guess we just have to try to keep smiling through this shit show.
“Genital Shame” is the solo project of Erin Dawson, an artist who brings her background in classical guitar to the world of Black Metal. Rejecting the traditional tropes associated with Black Metal, Dawson brings her own introspection filled with her personal identity, trans experience, and vulnerability to the genre, which is refreshing considering most Black Metal tends to be formulaic at this point. Today Dawson has announced that she will drop her new album Wellness Plan on October 30th via “The Flenser,” and she has also shared the album’s first single “I want to Die Before You.” While making Wellness Plan, Dawson encountered old microscopic footage of white blood cells searching for viruses. “I love the idea that even if you struggle with and mask a deep self-hate, there’s something microscopic inside you voting for your continued, healthy existence, even if you feel like you don’t deserve it,” says Dawson. She also describes the album as “a process of acceptance through images of disappearing.” You can listen to “I want to Die Before you,” as well as pre-order Wellness Plan below:
September 4th can’t come soon enough. It’s the day the Oklahoma-based quartet “Chat Pile” drops their third studio album Who Loves The Sun, and judging from the singles we’ve heard off the album thus far, this will be the band’s most compelling work yet. The tracks “PEN I S MALL” and “Deep Blue” are both rippers, but their third and final single “Same Rules” is both a ripper, and a gothic-induced atmospheric track that finds the band sounding their most melodic. Their new album Who Loves The Sun drops September 4th via “The Flenser.”
Oklahoma City-based quartet “Chat Pile” have unveiled details of their upcoming third album Who Loves The Sun. The album will be released September 4th via “The Flenser,” and today the band have shared the track “Deep Blue” off the upcoming album. You can listen to the track, as well as pre-order the album below:
And the award for song title of the year goes to….. Seriously, there’s nothing like listening to Street Sects’ music and brutally screaming out your existential pain. They’re truly a genuine band who pour everything they have onto their music, and it’s captivating. The band will release their new E.P. Gentrification IV: Suspended from Gallery Rails this Friday via “The Flenser,” and today they have shared a music video for the opening track “If Life is a Gift, It’s in Very Poor Taste.” You can watch the music video below:
Noise/Industrial duo “Street Sects” have undoubtedly been on a roll since the release of their “Gentrification” EP’s back in 2014. Following the success of their string of singles, an E.P. and two full-length albums, the idea of the band continuing their harsh and abrasive “Gentrification” series seemed unlikely, but earlier this year we were treated to a third installment titled Gentrification III: Death and Displacement, and it was as Hellish as one would expect. Now, a month later, the band have announced that they will release the fourth installment of this series on November 22nd via “The Flenser.” It will be titled Gentrification IV: Suspended from Gallery Rails. Today the band shared one out of the two tracks titled “Tomorrow is a Trap,” and it’s back to business as usual, which makes the band so damn enticing. You can listen to “Tomorrow is a Trap” below:
