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Bane_Of_Despair posted...

Code Orange - Underneath (album)

Feel free to skip over if it's too much investment

Bet everyone thought this was done!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctn14oYz0qA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCbdVL9qZUc
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWBAinm2sYBgW4di2rkCCKgMcHGl4Dhz4

Fear: 9
Importance: 5
Snake: 10

Total: 24 points

@Bane_Of_Despair

Horror and heavy metal are inextricably linked. Heavy metal of course originates in the doomy blues of Black Sabbath, creeping slowly into your ears like Count Orloks sweeping shadow, then transitioning into its '80s phase into the new wave of heavy metal music characterized by nihilistic reflections of the socio-political context of the times, just like '70s slashers which commented on post-war disillusionment. Together, horror films and metal have showcased the darkest of human instincts - running out of step but parallel with their respective evocative realm - encapsulating the pain and suffering of everyday life, but also the expressive release from it. On Underneath, Code Orange plumbs the depths of despair and insanity, in a strong musical and lyrical narrative that bursts from the speakers in a rage of glitchy breakneck riffs, industrial punk-fuzz and frenetic screamed vocals shouted from the bowels of Hell.

A meticulous work of psychological horror, Underneath is an album of sinister music which hammers you down into the darkest corners of its imaginative universe with sharp metallic teeth. At the same time, it's appetizing and sickly sweet, with a sort of satisfying comfort found in its heart-shattering rumbles and classic growls, and psychedelic melodies from the warped imaginations of a band firing on all cylinders.

"deeperthanbefore" is both a warning sign and something of a false start - cutting the chaff of the audience - testing to see if you do not belong, for there is something strange and alienating ahead, not lurking below the surface so much but rather testing your mettle and your ability to handle the horror ahead. "Swallowing the Rabbit Hole" truly kicks off the album however - catchy and energetic as industrial metal gets, with pounding rhythm and sinister programmed glitches, the start and stop of which are as breathtaking as any crunchy riff or thrill you could seek out in the world. (Ignoring the horror for a second, this is honestly just an overall amazing song). A vicious rabbit hole (as implied by the title) into a terrifying alternative world, where madness and apathy reign supreme, revealing the fragility of the self as reality succumbs to a nightmarish portrayal of the world beyond, a mirror image of our own disillusionment.

This is the exact song that best characterizes Code Orange's journey, and it only grows more deranged from here. "In Fear" doubles down on the glitchy elements, with tumbling instrumentation thrashing your senses all the way down, and a full on wall of noise, but complemented by some really interesting lyrical themes of fear and being chained to the internet age. Digital screams of lunacy pulled straight from the pitch black horror of your most harrowing nightmares signals a gargantuan haunting claustrophobia that's as scary as any film scene.

There's actually a lot of focus on technologic consciousness throughout the album, of being trapped in a virtual reality where we lose ourselves in a world that can never truly connect us, and in the desperation of loneliness it becomes a kind of a gateway to madness. On "Who I Am, we can feel the pangs of human agony through the horrific real life story of Ricardo Lopez, the sick Bjork stalker, painted through the backdrop of a battle with mental illness in which the narrator desperately scrambles to understand this monster in their midst, and just how much living our life through screens really does to us. Do we have the power to free ourselves however? A great song with a juxtaposition of horror and pure fascination. The outro is reminiscent of Linkin Park, which I really enjoy!

The question is raised again a little later in "Back Inside the Glass", a screeching clash of genres and styles that somehow sounds natural and comfortable. An intense hypnotic sense of chaos permeates the track, as the narrator tries to get himself better but is controlled by outside forces - a feeling of helplessness that is almost overwhelming, and one that is mirrored by the track's various elements. You're inside the glass. There's nothing you can do, you can't leave. The track's short length emphasizes that quick slip back into old habits, and the simple but effective refrain, "Open up and let it back inside" is one that captures that monolithic feeling of being enslaved by your vices.

There's plenty more to be discovered on this album, full of intriguing and aesthetically bold tracks, a true treat for those who enjoy emotional turmoil, genre experimentation, and honestly just amazing metal bangers that truly awaken the carnal senses. It's an album full of musical depth and the lyrical strength to match, a powerhouse from start to finish, that leaves you bloodied and definitely not the same person you were when you started. It refuses to conform, boldly delivering an intoxicating dose of reality, harshly tearing down the walls of celebrity worship, digital age indoctrination, and the general fakeness of society, with a depth and honesty that is just as, if not more, haunting than any horror film.

If Code Orange has proven anything so far, it's that theyre uncompromising, and that this is easily their best work to date.