Review Summary: A woman scorned.
Contempt is the perfect title for this recorded murder. This is a hardcore/noise rock gem with guitars consistently borrowing elements from sludge metal, including heavy chugs. The thick guitars are the type that sound like the alarm declaring the world’s end, yet they are not even the highlight. Megan Osztrosits screams bloody murder the entire time, sounding completely possessed; I haven’t been disturbed by a vocal performance so much since Killing Joke’s self-titled album. In Summer Smiles, Megan practically sounds like an old school horror movie villain. There’s also a few ridiculously intense moments in Folk Song - it simply has to be heard to be believed. Her vocal work is constantly impressive, but downright jaw dropping in Folk Song.
I could have gone without hearing so many high pitched guitar fuzz/squeals throughout the album, but it definitely creates an unforgiving atmosphere - fitting, at least. The drums are regrettably standard, solid, but lacking variety - the cymbals are absolutely abused. The entire appeal here is the vocal performance. Without it, the album wouldn’t be as appealing. Won’t Come is a bad note to go out on, over nine minutes of extremely irritating guitar buzz for most of the time, with barely any vocals. Thankfully, overwhelmingly, Couch Slur go absurdly hard, playing music with extreme, unrepentant, diabolic force, and an equally unsettling screamer. As hardcore music goes, this is quite engaging. This one might keep you up at night.
