Code Orange's new album Forever seems to have been divisive amongst its fan base. Some people loved the disjointed insanity of its writing, some wished for the band's previous hardcore leanings. It took me a little while to warm up to just how hectic the album is, but I listen to it at least a few times per week on my commute to and from work.
You know who loves, and I mean really loves, Forever? Lamb Of God frontman Randall Blythe. Blythe says the album is incredibly innovative, refreshingly human, and generally interesting in terms of modern heavy music and his perceived derivative nature.
“As most of you know, I don’t listen to much heavy music- I hear it on tour all the time, & I’m a grumpy old man who likes peace & quiet. More importantly, in this incredibly oversaturated internet era, honestly there’s just not much new heavy stuff out there that is DIFFERENT enough from the bazillion other new bands to interest me- there hasn’t been for quite some time now.
LOTS of “monkey-see, monkey-do”- I mean, sure- the technical abilities of young musicians is astounding these day, like BEYOND astounding. And you see these 12 year-old INSANE shredders, because they learned to play listening to all these technical bands & YouTubing their songs all that, but (no offense to these kids, & I know this is gonna piss some people off but I don’t care because it’s the truth & needs to be said) um… SO WHAT? So they can play someone else’s song.
Big fucking deal. Who cares? Can they WRITE a song? And if they DO write a song, does it sound like everyone else? Is that what technical proficiency breeds these days? If I can say “This sounds like a combination of (insert whatever bands are currently popular)” then I already don’t care. BORING.
I’d rather listen to Chet Baker or SWANS or Scratch Acid or Bad Brains or Prince Far I or Black Sabbath or Otis Redding. So it’s been a while since I’ve cranked a record by younger heavy band, then immediately played it again, & then again. Pittsburgh’s @codeorangetoth latest album, “Forever“, is that record though- someone call the brutality police, because this album CRUSHES.
It’s FUCKING UGLY, & they mined a lot of different influences- hardcore, metal, industrial, noise- & made their own sound. The production is big without sounding over-polished- the drums sound like REAL DRUMS that an actual HUMAN is HITTING, THANK GOD. They also came up the right way, paying their dues just like my band & most of my friends bands did- playing the DIY spaces.
Kids don’t seem to want to do that these days- I blame American Idol. These young cats paid dues- I respect that. They’ll be out on tour soon opening for my friends @anthrax, @killswitchengage, & @jameyjasta’s solo project, so get there early. Salute to the young bloods doing it RIGHT.”
If you haven't heard it yet, definitely give it a spin below. It's a little inaccessible at first, but I promise it's a seriously great record.
