Arctic Horror – “Cages”
Arctic Horror is a very cool name.
When I hear their name I think of walruses turning into vampires and then, ferociously attacking seals while biting their necks.
But I’m a very disturbed individual. So please blot that image, straight out of your mind- fast.
Now, maybe this name, I’m thinking, the name Arctic Horror would be more appropriate for a goth band, maybe like a synth goth band? Also, thinking about polar bears with chainsaws creating suspenseful havoc on the big screen, coming soon to a movie theatre near you.
But perhaps, I should leave these thoughts to the institutionalized and get on with the business at hand. You know- actually, talk about the band.
Arctic Horror is a hardcore band who have previously, thrown a lot of other genres into their music. And on this release there’s a lot of industrial, grindcore and noise that they throw in the mix, while last time there was a bit of doom and psychedelia.
But “Cages” is definitely more energy driven, more aggressively passionate and more experimental and this is all stuff I want more of, so this all works for me.
Greg is an awesome, powerful singer who is a strong, critic of the current Mafia head, I mean, President. I remember when, before the Midway upgraded their sound system, he was the only one, who I could hear clearly cut through the music at the hardcore matinees at the time.
And I could state the tags that they’ve put on their bandcamp, most I agree with, but I’d rather tag their music with adjectives more with words like these-
Emotional, crushing, walloping, exploding, heartfelt, honest and true.
Starting with a heavy, driving rhythm guitar riff, “Cheetoh Goblin” moves along in a hard, rockin’ groove. But as the vocals enter we’re swept away within a hardcore onslaught of venomous vocals with a thrashing, hardcore beat. Along with lyrics that reflect the thoughts of our Mafia head, I mean, President. This song reminds me of The Velvet Underground, a band I love, when they would just ride a wave of noise and sound in an unrelenting rhythm. Lots of rage and frustration is emanating from this song and lot of powerfully, potent music as well.
“Terminal Nation” lurches out like someone stepped on a live electrical cord in a shock of an industrial/grindcore rush. There are pauses and inserts of double noted guitar spurts in a seemingly, aural assault to burn your ears away. Plus, there’s a great, guitar solo that again reminds me of The Velvets when the bass is pulled away letting the guitar solo freely- meaning, I guess, solo. But I’m also picturing a skateboarder, at top speed, suddenly entering a violent video game. This song is a frantic, energetic, passionate rush of anger and frustration culminating in an exciting, volcanic aural blast which blows my brains to bits. And because of this- it’s my favorite song on this EP.
“Dark Therapy” is an instrumental- with industrial, slow, rhythm less, dark waves of sound and monolithic slabs of pure dissonance making me recall “Metal Machine Music” by Lou Reed. Though, it could also be inspired by Jesus & Mary Chain and Sonic Youth, too. Powerful ,intense, unnerving, unsettling and ultimately, great.
The arctic horror that we may soon experience is not so much this band, but that the icecaps are melting, water levels are rising, and while our scientists warn us of the danger at hand, our leaders of the world response is- Let’s party! Let’s have a good time! Us old folk will be gone long before the planet’s demise, anyways. So who care’s about the future or the young folks? Let’s make us some more money to hoard.
But I believe the young will drive a stake into the old, vampire walruses that stalk this earth now. That those walruses who are corrupt, misogynistic, racist, homophobic in their ways, that suited them for so long in the old days, will wither away as they themselves, wither and rot away like their ideas.
And in the meantime, we do have music like this that offers something new that isn’t held back, by the restraints of music genres. That wanders into unknown territories to come up with something that is slightly different but greatly of worth.
You could say they break out of their hardcore cages with music that’s great and expansive.
And if I was left outside of their music, I would want to break in.
(Slimedog)
