Love it, hate it or feel scared by it, it has been impossible to ignore the raucous noise-rock resurgence over the last few years. New acts such as Heck, METZ, Dope Body, Iceage, Three Trapped Tigers and, to an extent, Deafheaven have moulded elements of noise rock to create a diverse range material which has puzzled and polarised both critics and fans alike. Looking to create another strand of experimental noise-tinged madness are Seattle trio, So Pitted, a band named after an internet meme featuring a confused and excited surfer. A suitably weird name for an appropriately sporadic outfit.
‘neo’ kicks off with ‘Cat Scratch’, a disjointed and messy reverb filled kick in the teeth which is a perfect introduction to the rest of the album. A repeated distorted riff is laid on top of a completely relentless percussive back bone which both feature heavily throughout ‘neo’. So Pitted manipulate riff repetition to be build a unforgettable momentum which culminates in a hypnotic, chant-like sound. This can be particularly be seen on ‘Woe’, one of my favourites from the record as whole. Here, So Pitted heavily filter and deform the vocal tone which can make the lyrics unidentifiable but also adds a level of aggression in a way that reminds the listener of Lightning Bolt.
Although the album is ninety percent chaos, at times So Pitted offer up a more simplistic Sonic Youth-esque sound which some may find more accessible. Vocally, the delivery is less effects-laden and clearer on tracks such as ‘Pay Attention To Me’ and ‘The Sickness’ which in turn contrast well when sandwiched between the LP’s more furious cuts. ‘The Sickness’ has a infectious, jangly guitar riff which would not sound too out of place on an album by The Cure.
In places, So Pitted utilise a dark industrial sound that is clearly influenced by old school Nine Inch Nails. Particularly on lead single ‘Feed Me’; a slow, chugging track which morphs into a brutal and explosive refrain of feedback, vocals and bassy fretwork. This is where So Pitted sound best, where they are totally experimenting with the boundaries of song structure, replacing choruses with breakdowns and frequently changing tempo. Late album highlight, ‘Rot in Hell’ and record-closer ‘Chop Down That Tree’ see the trio once again using repetition to their advantage, allowing them to throw the listener up or down, seemingly at random.
Throughout ‘neo’, So Pitted sound completely disjointed, violent and abrasive, caring not for any sort of uniform verse and chorus structure. Although, this may turn-off listeners who are looking for a more melodic experience, the sheer tenacity of the record is certain to entice many a fan of both aggression and experimentation.