CODE - ‘mut’ Album Review
There’s an obvious risk for any band who defer from their revered line, and instead heading down a completely diverse musical path. Will this alienate the fan base? Or will they embrace the new direction? Hopefully those who have followed CODE through their first three albums of Progressive Black Metal will accept the necessity to turn their attention towards Post Rock territory, and a horde of followers anew will be similarly entranced.
Any concerns the dark foundations of CODE may be lost are quickly obliterated by the low end tones of opener ‘on blinding larks,’ although it must be said, both this and ‘undertone’ drift mysteriously by like ethereal cowed figures in the mist without particular direction. Fear not, lead track ‘dialogue’ kicks in and the essence of ‘mut’ aurally ejaculates in all its unearthly majesty.
Atmospherics around Post Rock / Metal materialise on many occasions through intense production and / or swirling keys, CODE denounce such theory. Production and keyboards prove minimalistic, and instead the use of off key notage to stifle melody, an implausible vocal range (no metal references to offer, more Colin Vearncombe hosting a séance to summon the spirits of Billy McKenzie and Jeff Buckley) intermingled with supremely dark lyrical themes, is all that’s needed to produce a disturbing, yet resplendent album of startling intensity. I doubt I’ll hear a more disconcerting vocal delivery all year than during ‘affliction,’ when vocalist Wacian lulls the listener into a false sense of shadowy security before unfurling lines straight from the tortured depths of perdition.
So engrossed am I in this murky biosphere, only by ‘inland sea’ do I grasp a complete lack of soloing within ‘mut’. The band exhibits a penetratingly inharmonious cohesion, with each member excelling within the unit, and any necessity for individualistic overemphasis is superfluous and unrequited.
It should be too early in the year, we’re only at the end of January for Lucifer’s sake, but CODE are already vying for an album of 2015. ‘mut’ is most certainly not an easy listen, and this extreme music is at its most challenging……but also most inventive. On that basis alone, it needs to be heard.
‘’mut’’ is released on February 27th through Agonia Records http://agoniarecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/codeblackmetal
http://www.codeband.net/
By Andy Barnes
About the Author
Andy Barnes An avid music fan for far more years than he cares remember, and an avid gig goer since the age of fifteen. Of the three Sonic Bandwagon presenters, Andy exhibits the most varied taste. It’s certainly not uncommon for a diabolically dark piece of Black Metal to be swiftly followed by minimalist electro pop, a laid back piece of ambient jazz or even a full scale hoedown.
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