Review Summary: Playing in the dirt
Elevated by a dark sense of humor, Oozing Wound’s follow-up to
High Anxiety is a spastic good time with one very welcome return feature: even more anxiety! Each track on
We Cater To Cowards is a compact-as-fuk mixture of atonal guitars, strung out drum patterns, and Zack Weil’s earsplitting vocals. The impressive deadbeat trio from Chicago have been doing their thing for over a decade now, and it shows. They really nailed the atmosphere on this one, maintaining a sneaky focus even when things feel they’re about to fall apart. Much of the guitar noodling here is unlike anything I’ve heard; the distortion-filled notes seem to grow their own unpredictable tendrils during the most chaotic peaks. That’s not to say it’s always all over the place. Several highlights on
We Cater To Cowards”are meatier cuts full of droning, mid-tempo guitars that often feel stuck in a time loop.
Thanks to top-notch production touches, the intense beatdown on instruments at hand feels both muddy and in-your-face at the same time. You can just
feel the tension throughout Oozing Wound’s most massive album to date. The best example of this must be “Between Cults”, which continuously builds upon its uneasy layers of sound until it’s robotic, amplified finale that has retro written all over it. I’m not sure if the whacky trio hit up some sleazy Chicago slot machines or played an 80s video game in their basement for inspiration, but it’s some impressive guitar finesse if I’ve ever heard it. Even the most skilled musicians would have a hard time replicating it on a good day. Bottom line: they’re some of the most sci-fi sounding guitars I’ve heard in a hot minute. The album’s relentless and inhuman sound is what sold me: whether it’s the irate and mildly cryptic vocals throughout or the constant swarm of clashing instruments. This thing is a beast. If nothing more,
We Cater to Cowards has convinced me that I need more of this kind of noisy bullsh*t in my life. After wading through all this thick sludge, at least two showers will be necessary, but I’m in no rush; I’d almost forgotten how much fun it can be to play in the dirt.
