Pittsburgh six piece Code Orange return with new album The Above.
2020’s Underneath made the world of metal sit up like a group of meerkats. The new album starts with a mechanical yet melodic statement “Never Far Apart”, which is followed by a blend of styles that still maintain an undertone of aggression and purpose: “Theatre Of Cruelty”.
The album’s only guest appearance comes from wrestling company owner and Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan. “Take Shape” is groove-laden and has some huge sounding elements, the vocal styles really complement each other wonderfully. The accompanying video is a throwback to when music videos were of peak important and puts a modern spin on nostalgia.
Jewel in the crown moment comes in the form of “The Mask Of Sanity Slips”. Lots of raw aggression blended in with splashes of 00’s riffs, plus the harmonies are subtly placed too. this is followed in stark contrast by the album’s most chilled track. How chilled is “Mirror”? well, it would make of Incubus sleepy.
Firmly thrusting normal service at the forefront is “A Drone Dropping Out Of The Hive” which, even though containing a plethora of aggressive riffs, I think maybe the addition of a drum and bass element would have absolutely elevated this into a different sphere.
If you like what we do, consider ing us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
Regarding the album, Morgan elaborates:
We wanted the album to be able to wash over you with melody, aggression, and joy, but it was of equal importance that the closer you look, the more you are rewarded. It was to feel rooted in the “analogue” world, but with threads of digital reality binding things together. We wanted the sound and even the recording process itself to reflect that edict, so we enlisted Steve Albini at Electrical Audio to get the most real and raw version of the band possible, even recording us all at once in a room together for the first time in our career.
“I Fly” is nothing if not anthemic in its structure, as too is “Splinter The Soul” which has one hell of singable chorus with some great dual vocals. Ok, so who ordered the extra portion of smashed skull? “The Game” is the type of track that, if you wanted to recommend the band and really showcase them, this would be it. As too would be its companion “Grooming My Replacement”.
“Snapshot” is a great representation of the album’s aesthetic with a great beat throughout, and “Circle Through” swoops in next adding another dynamic with some guitar solos.
The Above concludes with the duo of “But A Dream…” and the title track which stay faithful to the overall flow of the album. They once again demonstrate that the collective of Code Orange have produced a level of musicianship that pays homage to their influences and will create more for future generations.
Don’t fancy Patreon? Buy us a one-off beverage!
The Above is released on 29th September
Check out all the bands we review in 2023 on our Spotify and YouTube playlists!
Code Orange : official | facebook | twitter | instagram | spotify | youtube
