Genre : Noise rock, Sludge, Grunge, Industrial
Released : April 14th, 2023
Label : Reptilian Records / The Ghost Is Clear Records
FFO : Godflesh, KEN Mode, Crippling Alcoholism, Tunic
Still riding the wave of the overwhelmingly positive critical reception of their debut album "God's Country", Oklahoma City noise-rock sensations Chat Pile tap into the grungier side of their nihilistic and murky sound on this two-way split.
"King" would almost sound like a "pretty" song with its somber yet delicate main lead guitar motif and the surprisingly catchy vocal hooks being delivered in a sung voice instead of the yells, gnarls and crazed rants vocalist Raygun Busch has accustomed us to.
But in comes Stin's clobbering hits of bass alongside lyrics implying isolation and alcoholism to remind listeners that although the pace might be calmer than usual and the sounds somewhat brighter, we are still knee-deep in the filth and darkness Chat Pile thrives upon.
"Cut" feels like an even more menacing continuation of that slower-paced demeanor the band have opted for on this split, like a boiling threat waiting to explode, mostly expressed by Cap'n Ron's frantic drum interventions.
Unfairly, I will have less words for Nerver's side of the split since this was my introduction to the Kansas City noise-rock outfit, but I will say that the pummeling aggression of their sound which borders with post-metal at times, is a perfect counterpart for this split since they share similar qualities with Chat Pile's style. Most notably when it comes to the sludgy bass tones and uneasy atmospheres created by the guitars, but they also bring a more urgent and energetic tone to the split, which creates a nice balance.
"Brothers in Christ" most likely introduces listeners to yet another great underground act to keep an eye on and coupled with the Tenkiller motion-picture soundtrack, solidifies the claim that Chat Pile aren't a "one album wonder" who got lucky and captured lightning in a bottle once, but that we can expect even greater things to come from the Oklahoma City four-piece in the future.