Review Summary: Glassjaw returns with 'Material Control', the pummeling followup to 2002's 'Worship and Tribute'.
We've had "New White Extremity" to tide us over for awhile, and finally the rest of Glassjaw's new album, 'Material Control', has arrived. Quite the arrival it is--this is a bass-heavy, glorious monster of a record.
In "Citizen", vocalist Daryl Palumbo warns of "cancer in the water", a galloping snare rhythm toting the track's immediate sense of urgency. There is no intro or typical pop build--it just catapults right into the thick of things. Steady, tribal patterns provide "Golgatha"'s fun, spastic bounce as megaphone-cloudy vocals shout, "You never complain/No! You just pass the plate around!" Note I've mentioned drum work twice--there's no denying the addition of Dillinger Escape Plan's Billy Rymer provided outstanding, pummeling results.
The rhythm section as a whole is showcased more on 'Material Control' than previous LP's '....Silence' and 'Worship & Tribute', Glassjaw's signature rumble more present and forceful. A lot like vocalists such as Bjork or Perry Ferrell, beauty is drawn from the held note. Palumbo uses this to his advantage, especially on tracks like "Strange Hours".
The vocal and bass mix are a healthy shock. Glassjaw did well in not straying too far from their approach, while also adding new ideas to appreciate. You would never know there has been a 15 year absence of LP's--the vocals are as animated as ever, the drumming is kick-heavy and relentless, and--to be blunt--as a bassist, hearing the new bass mix makes me absolutely want to punch something (in a good way). lmao 4.5/5
