Menu | Rating System | Guest Book | Archived Reviews:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

         
      img  
         
 
Recording:
  Pure Gluttony
 
 
Artist:
  Brutus VIII
 
 
Label:
  Danger Collective  
 
Release Date:
  10.May.2024  
 
Reviewed by:
  PostLibyan  
         
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Review:
 

Sometimes I get promos sent to me that just … well, you know... sometimes you have to wonder what the heck people are thinking.

Often that is a negative thing and you realize that someone should have said, "No pumpkin, no!" to this musician at some point, but it didn't happen and the musician has wandered down a hole into weirdness and I get stuck listening to the results.

The things I do for you people...

But sometimes I listen to a promo that is just drenched in chaos and strange emotions and weirdness. Pure Gluttony is a release in this second category. Brutus VIII takes Skinny Puppy, the 80s, and Underworld and blends them into a sort of aggro post-rock dance fusion music. It makes for a fascinating listen.

The first track is a recording of some girl sarcastically reading an antisocial manifesto: "You'll get shot in class by some virgin with a vengeance and a stick up his ass", and then the recording is slowed down as it goes, until the voice is deep and mournful. And then suddenly it's a slow beat and loud clanging and a male voice yelling "I guess we're building a bomb". The song is Building a Bomb and it is electroclash a la Age of Chance, and the transition is stark and jarring, which I think was the intended effect.

The third track on the record starts with beats and drum samples going crazy in a faint nod to Blue Monday. Then the vocalist alternates between speaking dispassionately and singing like mid 80s Bowie. For added 80s-ness, there is a nice sax solo!

The fourth track is the title track. The tune is warbly synth bass and early NIN drum samples, and a little guitar. It really sounds like something off of Pretty Hate Machine.

The voice is slowed down, deepening it, on Connie, a song that bounces along menacingly.  As the synth beat of Connie fades out, a guitar riff starts, sliding and grinding, and every time I hear it I think Brutus VIII are about to cover The Cradle Will Rock by Van Halen, but instead the guitar stops and is replaced by a steady drum machine and warbling synths. This song is called Revenge, The Kraken, and it is blends hard rock guitar and synth pop.

The next tune is almost an interlude. It's called Doomer, and a female vocalist joins in. It is a slower synth tune, kind of pretty. It channels 1980s synthpop. This is followed by Creeks, which really channels Underworld through a nervous beat driving the tune along. It’s a great fun tune, just bouncing along with that late night energy and good bass riff. It builds into a throbbing rave beat, all flashing lights and thundering percussion. Really good.

The next tune is a fun little pop song called Neck Tattoo. It has a happy little riff and kind of bounces along. But doesn't listen to the lyrics -- they are a little dark, but the melody kind of lightens the overall effect. It transitions into Real Maniac, another slower tune. He sounds like Nick Cave here, that aching warbling despairing sort of voice, singing about smoking and someone leaving him over strings and beats. That sort of thing carries into the final track, I Don't Love You Anymore. Here the voice is quavering and paired with a guitar and some strings, beating you over the head with the sadness.

It's a heck of a record on the whole.

Brutus VIII is the project of Jackson Katz, who was the drummer in the LA band Slow Hollows. I guess him being a drummer makes sense with the rhythm intensive nature of the music here.

When I websearch for the name Brutus VIII, I find that it has something to do with the Anti-Federalist Papers. Which is …  well, I am not a history buff, but it seems that Anti-Federalism is tied to "states' rights", etc. I wonder if Katz identifies as an anti-Federalist? I mean, that's weird but sure, why not.

But the album is a fun listen – very intense and chaotic, but interesting.

 
         
 
Related Links:
 

https://www.brutusviii.com/
https://dangercollective.com/artists/brutus-viii
https://brutusviii1.bandcamp.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brutusviii/

 
         

Return to the top of this page. | Return to the Album Review menu.