This record arrived a few weeks ago from someoddpilot records and it’s a beauty. A project between two people, including my old friend, Scott Shellhamer, known as a killer drummer with both Tetsuo and Ghosts and Vodka while also knocking people on their ass with heavy ass guitar riffs in American Heritage. Working alongside him is Jason Butler, who has been putting out records under the name Thee Conductor, a project between him and Bonnie “Prince” Billy. If you’ve heard either of their previous work, it seems like it is going to be an interesting mix, with Scott’s penchant for chaotic noise contrasting with Jason’s gorgeous pop sensibilities. The results are astounding.

Right from the get go you can tell this is going to be difficult and the tick tock sounds mixed with industrial noise reminds me of the dread of going to work in a previous life. Years upon years of beatings.

Then a pause. Maybe we got out of this one alive. 

Not so fast.

It sounds like a mix of a black and white propaganda film rumbling through all of the instrumental interludes on dark side of the moon. I have had dark side on mind a lot lately, so that may just be some confirmation bias, but it’s hitting me now and that’s all that matters.

The sequence of tracks flow very well. This is a soundtrack to a film that probably rules but hasn’t been made yet.  Maybe like if Trans Am had done the soundtrack to Tron 2 instead of Daft Punk (I was not impressed).

Track 3 Shhhhhhhhhhhhh takes us to a new territory, borrowing from the Thrill Jockey circa 1999 catalog with a new spin, as it melts into what sounds like Genesis trying to mock Black Sabbath instead of King Arthur of the Roundtable or whatever the hell it is they’re trying to do (and I am impressed). 

You Won’t Be Alive to Feel It continues the cinematic excitement, with the rhythm track being led by the quick breaths of some type of creature.  Not surprisingly soon after writing that I remembered that they made an actual video for this one, so I may be once again falling victim to my mind.  Regardless, it’s a blast.  Synth heavy industrial trash that doesn’t try to get too cute, just pummels you instead. View the video here.

Scarab of Ra sounds like a totally different band, but the same band somehow.  Very dark bass synths and pads repeat a basic melody as the dread builds. My brain wanders to Lost Highway, as this almost would have fit better than the Bowie stuff. I can hear someone’s mind melting in the background of this track and the cause could have been their murder of of Dick Laurent.  I shit you not the last song is called Motion Picture and builds off Scarab of Ra, almost an outro to the previous song and the entire album.  It never lets up.

This one probably sounds insane on headphones. Remind me to do that next time.

You can purchase it from bandcamp directly from the band, and I highly encourage it. Click here.

FIVE STARS!