The Austin noise-rock legends Cherubs came out with their first album in almost a decade earlier this year. Everyone who are into noise-rock are probably well aware of their early 90s groundbreaking albums Icing and Heroin Man, which they released via a similarly legendary noise-rock label Trance Syndicate Records. It is often difficult to know what to expect from bands, who come out with an album after such a long hiatus, and whether they can live up to their previous reputation once more, but Cherubs' new album 2 Ynfynyty is a prime example of how an album can even surpass their previous legendary releases. Their album is by far the best noise rock release of 2015. It is exactly something that has been missing in recent years.
The album packs a lot of obnoxious in-your-face noise rock riffage, along with some catchy yet heavy melodies among the repetitive noisy core. The vocals as well work somewhat better than in their previous releases and have at places a sort of a mathrock, garage rock and even a neo-psych feel to them. This comes perhaps best apparent in a track titled Cumulo Nimbus. If you are looking for some repetitive heavy sludgy noise-rock riffs, and catchy, almost kraut or psych influenced noise rock basslines that flow along the length of the song, then tracks like Unhappyable and especially Party Ice are the ones primarily to look out for. While it is We Buy Gold and Jellified that perhaps come closest to the early 90s characteristic Cherubs sludgy noise rock sound, with the vocals sounding like straight out of Heroin Man as well. Evil May Acre also has a sort of southern metal feel to it, but in peculiar sense, since it is almost like a mix of Purling Hiss and Eyehategod.
The most stunning track to me on this revivalist noise rock album though is Party Ice. This catchy noise-rock marble is something that you can just keep listening to in repetition for almost forever. A great track to listen to while on the road. This track especially and infact all of this album would suit perfectly for a 70s horror film soundtrack, with the setting somewhere in the Southern US. You could almost imagine a b-category horror film style images of murder in a hot midday suburbia passing by to the tune of Party Ice. All in all 2 Ynfynyty is surely the best noise-rock release of 2015 and why not even the best noise-rock release of recent years.
Some links:
Bandcamp: https://cherubs.bandcamp.com/album/2-ynfynyty
Discogs: http://www.discogs.com/artist/273158-Cherubs
Last.fm: http://www.last.fm/music/Cherubs
