Review Summary: My favorite band is a side project
The ever-evolving entity that is the lovechild of "Baby J" Josh Miller and Tom Barber (current Chelsea Grin members and ex-Lorna Shore vocalist) Darko has been somewhat of a shadowy figure since their release of
Oni back in 2022. A dodgy character in a dark alleyway. A project that at one time had settled into a cozy niche that felt like just knowing them was like being in a Member's Only club. Well, it's still like that, but they've scaled back their presence, or digital footprint, since
Oni. We get no Norbert Crowfield directed music videos here, which used to add to the thematic elements of their songs. We don't get music videos of this album
at all, which leads me to believe Baby J has fully leaned in on the classic sound of a metal album, deathcore or whatever genre, to just let the listener come away with whatever feelings this 45 minute album evokes.
Oni 2 is certainly not what I expected after
Starfire and
Dethmask pt.3. Why creating some sort of "sequel" for an older album that is already cherished among the happy fans of this project was their decision, I couldn't tell you, but after numerous listens of this album, I've come to realize that this isn't a sequel; this is a redux. Where
Starfire and
Dethmask pt.3 were more about packing in (pretty much) non-stop fast-paced dethcore and atmosphere,
Oni was bathed in an acid bath of woe and hopelessness, given sonic form in it's grooves and diverse array of featured vocalists and vaporwave fillers. It was gritty and downright violent in it's emotion.
Starfire was a twilight equivalent of
Oni giving more shoegaze melody, a much longer runtime, and tighter production, in order to balance out the dozens of layers of sound in every track.
Dethmask pt.3 aimed to wrap the Dethmask trilogy up in it's usual brutalist and hardcore techno fashion, improving on the production of instruments and the thematic direction of the music as Baby J continues to evolve his creative outlook on what makes metal or deathcore "heavy."
Oni 2 returns to the original titular sound in the sense that it's just an absolute romp of heavy, fun, overwhelming noise ***ery. From "Red Samurai" to "Acid Girl Fantasy Club," every track takes you on a joyride of spectacular proportions, dealing out some of the heaviest and most satisfying and thought provoking riffery I've ever heard from this project. All of the vocals are dialed up to 11, from spoken word cleans to the highest of shrieks from Tom Barber or the welcomed addition of a very short rap from Hollywood Undead bassist Johnny 3 Tears, all stretched into a non-stop windmill session I've had a hard time pulling away from. The synth pads and gongs and various instruments Baby J utilizes here are, at times, simply
grandiose in it's placement, creating jaw-dropping moments of beauty throughout the album, making 45 minutes seem a lot longer at times. There are certainly more softer sides of the band here as well, with songs like Angel Kisses; a seemingly Cigarettes After Sex inspired song, the vibe of which the duo seems more and more unafraid to conjure up. Most songs have a more somber side to them after the unrelenting gut punches of blast beats and pick slides. Blue Teeth, as well as Take Me To Heaven (ft. ex-Chelsea Grin vocalist Alex Koehler), and Prosthetic, have this project's best heavy shoegaze sound, and it absolutely blows my hair back.
That's not to say this album could have some hang-ups for others. There exists an obscene amount of build-up in some songs, where it basically takes up a good chunk of the overall runtime. "Dragon Tamer," although a great redux of "Dragon Chaser," probably won't win someone who loved the original over. Upon further listens, however,
Oni 2 reflects many incredible moments from the original, and shoves jumper cables straight up it's arse. It continues to serve the raw and versatile screams and belts every other deathcore band does, in often times, breakneck speed, while still knowing when to slow down to cradle your neck. Baby J and Tom Barber close out the album with a fun little cover that I won't spoil; you'll just have to listen to it yourself. I'd recommend anyone that enjoys heavy music this album, as it's a testament to us hopefuls of musicians that attempt to push their genres, and even better, push out of them.
