Corrections House: Last City Zero

Okay, so I've read a large amount of postmodern and critical theory over the course of my life, and I am always amused, if not entertained and at time actually educated, by the dense jargon used in pomo writing, what with their "binary heteronormative liminal graduations of the Carnivalesque mystery" and what not. By way of saying that I really got a huge kick out of the press release accompanying this new recording. Like, for example, "The transformation of time and space; death begetting life and veils being torn; an imposing dissonance too penetrating to dismiss… CORRECTIONS HOUSE systematically create and destroy through audio disease and transcendent musical deconstruction." Well, maybe not so much.

Which is not to say this does not have its pleasures. It does, in a Bathory/Cathedral kind of way. "Serve and Survive" is typical in this way. It opens with about 2 minutes of dirge, followed by a slow and ominous musical theme that goes on for a good 6 minutes, all dread and gloom. From this, it jumps into the much faster tempo of "Bullets and Graves," which reminds of nothing less than some early Voivod. It has that kind of energy. All good bone crushing thrash and noise. Love this. This segues into "Party Leg and Three Fingers" which is much more industrial in style, with an opening of a slow beat, which moves into a two-chord riff that makes up much of the rest of the song. And then, we get acoustic guitar in "Dirt Poor and Mentally Ill." This almost sounds like a soundtrack to a mutant western. Until it breaks loose at the end. "Hallows of the Stream" is another dirge. The title song uses spoken word to good effect. Finally, "Drapes Hung by Jesus" uses drone to good effect.

Stylistically, this is all over the map. Perhaps this is not surprising given that the band is comprised of people who have worked in Eyehategod, Neurosis, Yakuza and Minsk. If you find one song not to your liking, not to worry; the others have their own approaches and pleasures. Overall, it's a fun listen, which I suspect the musicians would not have expected anyone to say.

Track Listings

1. Serve or Survive
2. Bullets and Graves
3. Party Leg and Three Fingers
4. Run Through the Night
5. Dirt Poor and Mentally Ill
6. Hallows of the Stream
7. Last City Zero
8. Drapes Hung by Jesus

Added: October 14th 2013
Reviewer: Dana Lawrence
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2015
Language: english

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