Last City Zero

(Originally published at valleyofsteel.net)

Last City Zero, eight tracks ranging anywhere from three to ten minutes, shows a bit more of an experimental, avant-garde side than you might have expected from some of these guys. But looking over each of their respective bands' discographies (and also considering the wide variety of projects with which they've all made guest appearances), that really shouldn't be much of a surprise.

Opening track "Serve or Survive" introduces many of the themes to figure prominently throughout this album: it starts out with some ambient/droney background parts with semi-melodic singing (clearly displaying the Neurosis influence here), but quickly gets heavier with the addition of Williams' signature shouted vocals, while the music veers nearly into straight-up gothic/industrial territory in some places. These different vocal styles tend to appear either singly, like the mournful ballady style (over a background of acoustic strumming and synth chords, plus Lamont's sax-playing) in "Run Through the Night" or (over a slow western shuffle, again with those sultry sax sounds floating overhead) in "Hallows of the Stream," or in various combinations, such as "Party Leg and Three Fingers" (which follows some sinister-sounding talk-singing with some harsh yelling) or "Dirt Poor and Mentally Ill" (alternating chant-style vocals with more angry yelling). But in other places, the predominant style of lyrical delivery is more of a narrative or even beat-poetry style: later in "Dirt Poor" and near the end of "Drapes Hung by Jesus" the repeated rhythmical lines have a very philosophical and poetic quality to them, but especially the title track, which evokes a very story-teller kind of vibe (over a backing of quiet, introspective guitar picking), musing about different types of people -- "madmen and prophets" -- and the universal truths of human suffering that unite all of them -- "one big happy family with a passion for bloodshed."

The industrial vibe is a thread that runs through many of these songs as well, whether it's faster-paced and ugly like in "Bullets and Graves" or slower and more minimal like "Party Leg" or the background of the poetry-reading of "Dirt Poor"; various sound loops, synthesized noises, and guitar effects are used to create a harsh and unforgiving environment just like the reality described in the songs' lyrics. This is done especially well in the closing track "Drapes," which seamlessly blends from a primarily ambient intro to a more industrial vibe, eventually flipping the switch all the way to heavy industrial metal -- although once again there's a haunting sax part, Nik Turner-esque, swirling somewhere in the midst of all the distorted dirt and grime and the railing against things like "made-for-tv disasters" ...

Corrections House is a union of sludge luminaries Scott Kelly (Neurosis), Mike IX Williams (Eyehategod), Sanford Parker (Minsk), and Bruce Lamont (Yakuza). With a substantial collective body of works behind them, aspirations are lofty and expectations are high. Of course, with projects like this, the result is seldom greater than the sum of its parts, and I approach Last City Zero with some trepidation.

Initial impressions of Last City Zero makes it obvious what each of the individual members bring to the table. The apocalyptic thunder recalls Neurosis and Minsk, while the lyrical nihilism bears the heavy mark of Eyehategod. There is also a heavy presence of industrial elements, from the programmed drums to the heavily distorted guitars. “Party Leg And Three Fingers” dips into the despotic apocalypticism of later Blut Aus Nord, while “Bullets And Graves” sounds like it could have been recorded by Skinny Puppy in the 90s. On the other side of the spectrum, “Run Through The Night” comes close to being dark folk, and “Hallows Of The Stream” is jazz noir.

As should be clear from the above, Last City Zero is an eclectic and highly experimental record. The binding factor is the overarching militant and dystopian atmosphere, which comes crashing down like a throng of riot police. This harsh and bludgeoning sonic assault is contrasted with nocturnal jazz pieces accompanied by Mike IX Williams’ junkie poetry. It’s a bleak vision of a broken future, yet mirrors the present through a dark reflection on urban isolation.

Last City Zero is an uncomfortable experience. It’s negative, hopeless, and self-destructive. Simultaneously it’s a iron-fisted chokehold and a shot in the gut. The experimental factor is a refreshing detour from standard supergroup fare. This is the oppressive soundtrack to a loveless and ruinous modern world, and the sound of a boot stomping on a human face forever.


Written for The Metal Observer

Corrections House is another one of those bands that you could label a supergroup. As far as the underground, anyway, it doesn’t get much more super than a band featuring Scott Kelly, Sanford Parker, Bruce Lamont, and Mike IX Williams.

But I’ll cut to the chase. The way they set out to be different is by taking on an industrial side. It’s very much a counter-intuitive combination. Sludge works best when completely organic and analog, while industrial (as the name suggests) is mechanical. The rhythms and percussion are mechanical (they are programmed), while the guitars are organic, and it makes for a weird juxtaposition. Godflesh was going the same thing over 20 years ago, but it’s still weird.

And maybe this doesn’t mean a lot to you, considering that I seem to be the only one who doesn’t like Godflesh, but there’s a reason nobody else has attempted that combination in twenty years. Nobody worth talking about, anyway. I also realize I spoke well of the band's debut 7", but a 7" is hardly long enough for a flaw like that to become quite so annoying.

Despite my attack at their very core idea, I admit that they have accomplished it about as well as could be hoped. The heavy, warm guitars crushing and crunching, the bleak outlook, and machine cadence evoke the future scenes from the Terminator movies. At its best, the droning repetition calls up Neurosis and Bloodiest. But it would have been a hell of a lot better with a real drummer.

So, let’s give Corrections House a to-do list. One, get a drummer. Two, stop with the heavy-handed yet weak, surface-level social consciousness (the title track). I really like what this band promises, but they have not quite delivered.

originally written for http://fullmetalattorney.blogspot.com/