20 years in the past, the USA discovered itself entangled in a warfare, a state of affairs that ignited a questionable type of patriotism, whereas the Christian Proper tried to implement their ideology on the remainder of the inhabitants. Fortunately, we have moved past such turbulent occasions, proper?
The Blood Brothers dropped Crimes throughout an election yr, and its haunting perspective stays remarkably related 20 years later. In a “Rank Your Information” piece for Vice, co-lead vocalist Jordan Blilie shared his ambition to convey the concern and paranoia skilled throughout wartime, a feat they achieved impressively. Their affect may be heard in bands like Chat Pile, who successfully doc the aftermath of warfare of their outstanding new album, Cool World. Whereas Chat Pile interprets their inspirations into direct confrontation, the Blood Brothers articulate their critiques by an onslaught of disquieting summary imagery, pushing their commentary into the realm of bleak satire. This distinctive trait, mixed with the band’s boundless creativity, secures Crimes as a timeless entry of their spectacular catalog.
The Blood Brothers’ seminal work, Burn Piano Island Burn!, burst forth like unrestrained chaos, delivering a manic thrill trip from begin to end. If Piano Island! impressed listeners to hit the gasoline on the freeway or spark a circle pit of their dwelling rooms, Crimes prompted them to take a cautious look out the window, making certain the deadbolt was securely locked.
In Crimes, the Blood Brothers explored a wider array of sounds and adopted slower tempos, incorporating unconventional devices into their hardcore and screamo repertoire. The keyboard work of Johnny Whitney shines on quite a few tracks, whereas the unbelievable expertise of drummer Mark Gajadhar and multi-instrumentalists Morgan Henderson and Cody Votolato drive these compositions ahead with a sinister vitality. The stripped-down preparations spotlight the brilliance of the contrasting vocal kinds; Blilie’s deeper tones juxtaposed with Whitney’s piercing screams evoke emotions of dread and acceptance, collectively reflecting totally different views on the approaching collapse of society.
“Peacock Skeleton with Crooked Feathers” stands out as some of the musically charming songs on Crimes, that includes a keys and maracas-driven introduction that escalates into breakdowns amidst lyrics centering on distrust orchestrated by a sinister peacock. This observe may be interpreted as a critique of the concern propagated by media shops and our social circles. Whereas they weren’t the pioneers of keyboards in hardcore music, they undeniably mastered the mixing.
A few of the most unsettling and thought-provoking items are these the place the Blood Brothers enterprise farthest from the frenetic vitality of Piano Island, which solely amplifies their efficiency. The opening observe, “Feed Me to the Forest,” might be seen because the quintessential Blood Brothers tune. It showcases the evolution of their sound whereas making certain that their affinity for bracing noise—a component central to their id—stays intact. Commencing with a warning wail from the guitars, the tune propels to life, with Blilie and Whitney layering a sequence of disquieting photos. These embody smokestacks envisioned as “fuck you towers” and the repercussions of that perspective, like robbing a personality of their singing voice and depicting infants pleading to be consumed by the forest. The observe culminates in what will be the defining lyrics of the album: “Thanks for the survival rags / Thanks for the dirty skies / Thanks for the fucked up future / We are able to study to like our distress.”
The title observe serves as one other pinnacle, slowly manifesting an apocalyptic sense of despair by its imagery of Junk Island, the place youngsters eat apple cores and huff paint. This desolate locale turns into the vacation spot after the first characters ponder robbing the mayor’s mansion or preying upon a lonely widow. The depictions of drained people and assets are genuinely disturbing, drawing parallels between individuals and discarded wrappers or stale information headlines. “Stay on the Apocalypse Cafe” aligns with “Crimes,” recounting a sequence of atrocities dedicated by varied characters whereas noticed through tv screens. “Wolf Celebration” equally abandons fast tempos, as a substitute constructing in the direction of unsettling verses that emphasize keyboards over guitars.
“Trash Flavored Trash” grows more and more related, critiquing media makes an attempt to hide America’s underbelly. Surreal visuals of monks crafting bombs from bibles and boys in toupees delivering resumes give this scorched earth a way of eeriness; it appears like a prophetic reflection of our society. “Teen Warmth” skewers the music business with genuinely humorous and absurd imagery, together with an government whose sideburns are formed like greenback indicators, birthing diva after diva, accompanied by the unforgettable chant, “Promageddon pit, smash hit.”
“Love Rhymes with Hideous Automobile Wreck” unfolds like a brief story on par with something penned by Chuck Palahniuk in his best hours. The protagonist finds himself bedridden in a hospital, replaying a traumatic incident from his previous. But, amidst the vivid accounts of vomit-stained frat events lurks a thread of gallows humor, epitomized within the twisted fortune cookie knowledge, “Some issues by no means get higher / Like used vehicles and dangerous livers.” Whitney’s repeated singing of “love” evokes a way of dissonance, but curiously works inside the context. The identical applies to “Rats and Rats and Rats for Sweet,” which alternates views between Sweet’s date and the titular rodents, narrating a haunting story of an ill-fated date.
The closing duo, “Celebrator” and “Devastator,” launch pointed critiques at George W. Bush and the Iraq Battle, portray graphic portraits of troopers rising amid devastation, whereas youngsters are extracted from the wreckage. In “Celebrator,” they immediately confront Bush, emphasizing the road, “The clown within the struggle swimsuit is cracking jokes to the digicam crew,” a jibe at his infamous “Mission Achieved” tackle delivered simply months into the Iraq battle. Conversely, “Devastator” commences as a haunting folks melody earlier than the band surges into motion, with Whitney and Blilie chanting, “All people wants a little bit devastation.”
By exposing the human toll of warfare by unsettling, generally absurdist imagery, the Blood Brothers assured that Crimes transcended the standard realm of protest music. The depictions of warfare’s horrors, which flicker throughout our televisions and smartphones, stay as poignant immediately as they had been twenty years in the past. Lyrically, it exists as a pitch-black satire that underscores how little has modified since its launch—a disheartening realization, notably because the music stays so exhilarating.
I recall believing this album captured the essence of an impending apocalypse again in 2004, and twenty years later, it continues to resonate with that very same ominous feeling. We have merely edged nearer to the reflection the Blood Brothers had been providing. On Burn Piano Island, Burn, some of the placing strains asserts, “all the things goes to be simply terrible after we’re round.” It’s disturbing to look at the lasting relevance of their commentary as they put together for reunion reveals twenty years on. It’s nonetheless bleak, however maybe rather less so with the Blood Brothers within the combine.
