Music Reviews: Metalux & John Wiese and The Lovekill
Metalux & John Wiese – “Exoteric”
(Load)
Femme-tronic duo Metalux and prolific noisemeister John Wiese have a new collaborative full-length of murky malaise out now on – yep, Load Records. Recorded in Wiese’s California apartment, “Exoteric” oozes unnerving electronic noise environments that feature disembodied voices and damaged rhythmic upchuck over crunchy PowerBook cacophony.
The sounds the threesome summons are not overly harsh or extreme but are tailored to titillate. Wiese’s digital abstractions are in a constant state of flux so no sound ever grows stale. Metalux’s vocal performance is occasionally provided via analog tape, which gets manipulated and spliced to frightful effect.
Metalux & John Wiese create tasty sound soup that goes down easy but may induce nightmares if taken too close to bedtime.
The Lovekill – “These Moments are Momentum”
(AstroMagnetics)
Helloooo Cleveland! The Lovekill are a new power chord foursome from Rock and Roll town USA with amps that go to eleven. Their debut full-length reveals a group keen on mixing Midwest blues rock and East Coast emo-thrash — a smart, if just a touch tired, combination likely to make them a hot item on their leg of the Warped Tour this summer.
The band wastes no time getting to the meat of their melodies and the whole affair seems to gain steam as it goes. Chris Rager’s gruff vocals compliment the group’s wall of riffage and the rhythm section keeps everything tight, tight, tight. Don’t be shocked if the songs on “These Moments are Momentum” sound a tad familiar, but don’t be surprised if you end up singing along to them in the end.
– John Rickman
