On Privacy, NYC five-piece RASPBERRY BULBS (originally started as a solo black metal project by Marco Del Rio of BONE AWL) continue the metamorphosis into a fully-formed hardcore punk band that began on their second album, 2013’s raging Deformed Worship. The addition of a tight, well-practiced full band (including members of the mighty RORSCHACH) to the songwriting process makes this the best material they’ve released to date. Lyrics touch on the contemporary obsession with “connection”, exhibitionism and peer approval and are delivered with a cold, tortured vocal style which is one of the band’s only remaining ties to their early black metal inspirations. It’s a welcome and unexpected change of pace from Blackest Ever Black, a label generally known for releasing uncompromisingly noisy techno records.
The songs on Privacy seem more stripped down and straight to the point than those on their predecessor. There are actually some major hooks buried in all that buzzsaw 4-track noise. The black metal tag doesn’t really apply at all here, as RASPBERRY BULBS are not afraid in the slightest of being a bit unorthodox with their influences. “Light Surrounds Me” is pure circle pit punk. “Nail Biting” features some almost grungy riffs that would make a young Kurt Cobain proud and “Finger Bones” has a nastiness reminiscent of RUDIMENTARY PENI at their fiercest. The eerie found sound tape experimentation and industrial synth noise of the album’s various numbered between-track interludes break things up nicely. Five-minute album closer “Big Grin” slows things down and changes up the format again with an almost funky rhythm section underneath all the sludge-punk furor. Despite all this variation, the mood and aesthetic has a constancy and intentionality to it that ties the whole thing together perfectly. Privacy is a great record for the coming winter blues. Turn it up and rage on.
PRIVACY is available now from Blackest Ever Black