Casket ArchitectThis trio from Warwick, NY once went under the name The Night Terrors, which they released an album as, titled "A Cocktail of Ravage Delight," but soon after they were legally forced to change their name to their present day moniker. They have also released a 7" titled, "Electrical/Skeletal" on Caterwaul Records early this year under their current name. In February of 2006, they signed to Altercation Records. So be on the lookout for any future releases from these guys.
Man, I'll give it up to Glacial. They have found themselves yet another, off the wall band who can throw in all these different influences, and sounds into a blender and turn it into an ugly, yet delicious smoothie. These guys categorize their sound as sci-fi-deth rock. And boy were they able to captivate me with their original blend of straight up punk (Black Flag, The Misfits, Dead Kennedy's), slight metal influences (Black Sabbath, Today Is The Day, Carcass), and late 70's industrial noise, with a wide range of experimental artists such as Mars Volta, Mr. Bungle, Fantomas, etc. Come to think of it, this sounds like something that would've come out on Maniac Ride Records. There are 9 tracks which total 18:37. The songs range in length, anywhere from 40 seconds to 3:05. The opening track on this EP, "Turbine Vaccine," starts off with this crazy intro that sounds like something that would be in a Japanese shock film, it then kicks into a high energy punk anthem. The following track, "Casket Architecture," shows the bands ability to create an awkward listening experience for the listener with effective use of winding guitar work, and eerie melody accented by a keyboard. The crazy thing is they are able to add some upbeat parts to the song without it sounding out of place. It is the longest track on the EP and is my personal favorite. The title track, "Dance on the Death Nerve," is another one of my favorites. The main riff in the song is remarkably catchy and bombastic, yet moody and dark. The end of the song transitions nicely into the instrumental track, "Behold The Armatron," which is built around a throbbing bass line and scratching guitar work. I'm liking the nasally delivery the front man uses, he throws in some punk shouts, some singing, and straight up snarling screams. He has a great tone to his voice with an energetic delivery that screams punk rock.
Lyrically, these guys are a lot like the rest of the Glacial bands. They are real abstract with their words and the imagery they create. However, they are a slight more sci-fi than the other bands I've heard. Taken from "Organ Donor": The surgeon is like an architect of structures under the skin. This clinic of magic has found the perfect specimen....From "Observer": I am the observer. The observer has only learned to die. I got this coffin, it may be my most comfortable home yet....Strange stuff, but good. It's a nice change of pace from the monotony of the ever so typical hardcore and metalcore lyrics.
I'm liking the layout, nothing to flashy but it's good for what the band is doing. The front cover actually ties into the song, "Observer."..."I got a toothache, throbbing in sequence, to the beat, beat of your heart. The cover is black with a small, rectangular picture of a anime like woman who has tears streaming down her bruised face, with images of 24 teeth, with a caption that shows her thinking of an exposed nerve ending in her mouth. Something that is strange but worth noting, is that there isn't a single photo of the band where you can see their faces clearly: The back of the booklet has a picture of the band looking into a fancy mirror, yet their faces are blurred out. In the tray, each band member has a black and white photo, depicting them with all kinds of crazy wires and metal over their faces. Strange. Inside the booklet, you get all of the lyrics over a greenish-black background. A little more laid back than the rest of the layout.
Rating: 3.7/5
Songs Worthy of Replay: Casket Architecture, Solar Surgeon, Dance on the Death Nerve
Thesis: These guys are truly unique. They captivated my attention with their brand of furious eclectic punk rock, and they'll probably do the same for you. If you're looking for something new to check out, look for some of their stuff. Http://www.myspace.com/casketarchitects