Known as He Who Crushes Teeth within the substantially engulfing black metal duo Bone Awl, Marco Del Rio unleashed his solo unified vision of blackened post-punk intensity in the form of the deceptively monikered Raspberry Bulbs in 2011. His debut effort Nature Tries Again offered up basic rhythmic tonality swirled between fevered guitar pitches that would have otherwise been dismissed had it not been for the unrelenting screech of Del Rio’s voice. The basement quality production only furthered the peculiar appeal that came from atop the thundering assault that forced its way through your speakers forming itself into an indecipherable force of nature. Two years later Del Rio is back with Raspberry Bulb’s second album, except this time around it features a five-member lineup, and plenty of new and innovative ideas to boot.
The most noticeable difference when it comes to Deformed Worship is the cohesive flow that working with others can bring, all while adding a new psych-induced element to the starkly realized menacing post-punk fray. The ideas culminate into a fortified collective that builds upon Del Rio’s core vision and turns it into a tangible, enigmatic union that comes from several directions into one singular sonic composition. The elements tie together well, balancing the energy and spirit initially forged without venturing into superfluous tirades that can sometimes debase the value of what’s being played and focusing attention more so onto the level of noise created. Wrought with tempo shifts galore, the band matches Del Rio’s inescapably bleak verses with an inexplicable immersion within the fabric of the album itself to generate a vast and expansive portrayal that transcends any predetermined notions about the content therein.
The suicidal undertones within “When A Lie Becomes The Truth” expand upon the energy given off by the noxious overtones to create tracks with a great deal of substance and feeling. The idea of ending your life to hide the shame of being unfaithful is matched by the drawled misery accompaniment looming ever present just overhead. While tracks such as “Wild Inside” explore a dumbed down exploitation of teenage angst drained down a self imposed vortex of voracious self loathing. The subtlety is almost sewn within the lyrical gravity permeated from one extreme to the next while never bottling the sound into any one particular shape or dimension.
The melodies are enveloped within, not necessarily in any sort of semblance of catchy, but “Standing In Line” borders somewhere towards a misanthropic haze of downtrodden noise rock. Raspberry Bulbs turn out an absolutely astounding effort that expands beyond the lo-fi anthems that incited its birth into a cryptic insurgence that washes over your psyche like a long awaited obliteration.
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