I’d been seeing Corrections House’s insignia all over the place lately, but had passed up every listening opportunity that came my way. So, when I gave this bad boy a try, I went into the experience totally blind. I knew this was the project of phenomenal musicians, who are definitely not new to the game of putting out crushing jams, but I wasn’t sure what to expect.
My mind was trying to prepare itself for a Neurosis, Yakuza, Nachtmystium, Eyehategod blending, and wasn’t sure if that sort of sound-fusion would bode well or be troublesome for the ears. When I mustered up enough courage to quit fantasizing and start listening, I hit play and was astonished; not in a ‘nooooouuu, artists that I have become creepily personally invested in, why did you do this to meeeeeee!‘ kind of way, but instead in a ‘fuck yeah, how could I have ever been nervous; this rules,’ kind of way.
Hoax The System is birthed through an eerie resonance and the pounding of drums. Dark, meditative, and tribal, the drums set the tone for the onslaught of intensity that is soon to follow. The vocals chime in and the experience becomes similar listening to propaganda being broadcasted over some old timey, distorted radio– like Big Brother speaking over an echoing intercom, only instead of Big Brother it’s Mike IX Fucking Williams. The blend of industrial drums, mean guitars, and punching vocals create a sludgy spirit of urgency, chaos, and power characteristic of power electronics. Grin With A Purpose uses a similar formula, and displays the same sense of compulsion that Hoax The System does, but expresses it in a way that is far more mellow than the latter. Now, I hadn’t watched the video for this song, so the internal image that this work evoked in me is something very similar to one of my favorite photographs; it’s of these dudes in an empty field decked out in these sweet-ass doomy black hooded cloaks, circling a 70s looking Cadillac (or something similar, I can’t remember exactly), arms raised in praise. This song has a feel to is that is both very holy and perverse; it’s both calming and alarming–much like that photograph. If you haven’t watched any of the visuals for either of these songs yet, I recommend watching them after. It might be really cool to see what these songs stir up in you, if anything.
I have listened to this release over and over, and it is still difficult for me to feel like I’ve done it justice here, because for me it is a really complex work of art–or maybe I over think stuff. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed what I heard. I am excited to see this project evolve. I have to admit that after hearing these two songs so many times on repeat over the past few days I do have a gnarly headache (like the headache I get from listening to Swans’ Cop too much). So, listen with caution if your ears are big babies. Be sure to check this out if you haven’t already. It took me awhile to get into the game, but I’m defiantly glad I did, and I doubt you’ll end up disappointed.
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