Review Summary: Emoviolence revival from beyond their Amherst grave.
Orchid is undoubtedly my favorite band ever. Jay Green and Will Killingsworth's ultra-sarcastic, pop-philosophy inspired lyrics spoke to the pretentious, agoraphobic 16 year old I was around the time I started screaming in bands and formed a huge role in shaping who I am today as a vocalist and lyricist. Will Killingsworth's songwriting is the most intense application of depression to music to exist, every project he's been in (save Violent Bull***, also with Jay Green) has ***ing moved me. Like really, genuinely gets me emotionally. Ampere's been one of my favorite bands in the past couple years for good reason, how reminiscent some of the songwriting was of Orchid, albeit a more modern screamo take on that style. Ritual Mess on the other hand, has enough members of Orchid for them to pass it off as an Orchid reunion, especially when you consider that the project truly sounds like Orchid in 2014, whereas Ampere was only reminiscent of Orchid.
Vile Art (meds fix the album title) was just released on Clean Plate's bandcamp, and holy hell this record slays. At roughly 20 minutes, the emoviolence-pioneers-restored-to-office maintain their reputation as skram overlords via frenetic-to-droning dissonant bull*** that really puts you in the mood for thinking, layered with Jay Greens pained, intense, sassy shrieking and sarcastically shouted and mumbled spoken parts, pretty much some of the most distinct and classic vocals in the history of the genre. This album is like that one Seeing Means More song title "The Resurrection Of Screamo" except it's like, the actual resurrection of screamo and not some cool ass Euro-skramz influenced breakdown fest (Seeing Means More killed for reals).
This album brings me back to a time and place where I was damn excited to learn about everything I could, and I feel like it's waking me up now. Goes that strong.
