Review Summary: The beauty in abhorrence.
Hatred is a powerful emotion. Many artists have drawn from it over the years, using the power to drive aggression and intensity through the music. It becomes a vessel for liberation - something to take what can eat you from the inside out and channel it into a form of musical expression. Some bands have made full careers out of doing this that span for multiple decades; though the fire diminishes somewhat as young turn to old, it never really burns out entirely. Often times, something happens to the artist early or mid-career that sparks something powerful. An ex-lover who scorned you. A boss that treats you like trash. A family member that betrays you. Political corruption. Corporate greed. Whatever the event, there is no force quite as strong, but tapping into it for too long risks severe mental and physical consequences. The reward is something that stands on its own as an entity that can consume you if you let it.
With their debut release "Cease & Desist",
you've got mail have come out of nowhere to release an album that is the very embodiment of what it means to hate. Hate might be too light a word for this album - loathe, despise, abominate are words that come to mind. Through the 51 minutes of chaotic and frenzied emoviolence mixed with tense buildups that are reminiscent of post-metal, the Spanish quintet uses a myriad of devastating riffs and passages to create an incredibly dense atmosphere. The lyrics are almost entirely unintelligible and the vocals themselves sit buried in the mix, which allows them to exist as an instrument rather than stealing the spotlight despite the purely vicious delivery. Smothering waves of noise and chaotic breakdowns are juxtaposed by underlying melodies that showcase a clear intent to disrupt any and all expectations. "Cease" is a slow burning and remarkably gorgeous instrumental opener that serves as a red herring for what is to come, as the subsequent track "Arturo" features a jarring sample surrounded by raw annihilation of the senses.
This is an unsettling, harrowing listen. If you are someone who looks for comfort in your music, you won't find any here. This set of tracks is an exhausting, crushing endeavor that will likely leave you with a pit in your stomach by the end of it. Those who are perpetually angry with the current state of the world may feel some emotional catharsis by the time they reach the end. There are moments of brief reprieve, but those exist only to lull the listener into a false sense of security before dropping them back into the darkness. Despite just getting started,
you've got mail have already delivered a modern masterpiece that can hang with some of the very best in the genre. Just do yourself a favor and make sure you're ready for it.
