Review Summary: One of the angriest albums on planet Earth
“What more do you want from me? Some sort of apology?
Well I promise that forgiveness is the most you'll
get. And what I demand of you is to put up or shut up.
So make your decision, but remember - you can't kill
us all.”
The opening rant to this album not only warns you that this is not a force to be reckoned with but also a pissed off one at that. As you embark on this 20 minute never-ending carnival ride you are assaulted by harsh dissonance, some of the angriest vocals I have ever had the pleasure to hear ala Sean Ingram. I say a never- ending carnival ride because though the last track may fade from your ears, it will always stick with you. I surround myself in all different types of metal and its subgenres and I can always find beauty in brutality for the most part. “Functioning on Impatience” however, is quite the contrary. It’s almost impossible to pick out any pleasant moments. The 20 minute runtime while may be the downfall for this album doesn’t really feel all that short. It’s just so overwhelmingly heavy and angry that it’s almost too much to listen to constantly, and that is where the beauty lies.
Coalesce has also managed to almost write this entire album using odd-time signatures. There’s really everything on hear. From 5/4 to 6/6 to 9/8 to 7/8… you get the point. This is where for me, the beauty lies in. In The outstanding display of album flow, through the absurdly constant use of odd-time signatures, which I not only find beautiful but also downright mesmerizing. Frequent use of these elements not only affected me as a musician but also as a music listener in general. The inhumane amount of beating that each instrument received on the recording of the record is almost seen as a good thing if looking at it in terms of being a refreshing experience.
If art can be happy and delightful, than it can definitely be angry and pissed off, which is what “Functioning on Impatience” exactly is. It’s most certainly an art form on those terms. Pick this up or do whatever you can to listen to it and also don’t forget to scare your friends.
Fun Fact:
James Dewees, drummer on this album went on to form “Reggie and the Full Effect” his popular solo project.
