Now Playing; In progress #003

Panchiko, Fleshwater, Onesidezero, Eastcide

D>E>a>T>H>M>E>T>a>L, Panchiko [2000]

If you’re reading this I imagine you are aware of The Poster. Of said Poster’s many surprises was an act all the way in the bottom left called Panchiko that seemed to stir up a certain Reddit-y excitement. To say that this is not nu-metal is an understatement. D>E>a>T>H>M>E>T>a>L is a very of its moment post-Radiohead bedroom pop album with simple sounding drum machines, electronic squeebies, and a simple fey vocal delivery. I’m on my first listen now and while it’s not quite my speed at this advanced stage in my life I see why it would resonate. Also, it’s nu-metal. I welcome this into our fold. I can’t bear to watch it wither and die on the indie-pop vine.

Eastcide, Eastcide [2001]

The only version of this on Apple Music is the g*d d*mn clean version so if anyone reading this happens to have explicit mp3s lying around hit me up please. Not fully through this yet but “Graduation Flowers” has a big, undeniable chorus and momentum worth a look. Lumbering Farmclub-core nu reminiscent of P.O.D. and Orange 9mm.

Is This Room Getting Smaller?, Onesidezero [2001, Maverick]

I had heard this before but it missed me at the time. A recent revisit of the bouncy, driving single “New World Order” convinced me to give it another go. Another of the genre’s many many many overtly Tool influenced efforts it boils away Tool’s pretensions for hooks ‘n’ structure which I always welcome. Can’t say it’s anything like a classic yet but opener “Inside Laugh” has an undeniable pull with a few other tracks grabbing my ear too. Give it a shot.

We’re Not Here to Be Loved, Fleshwater [2022, Closed Casket Activities]

What I truly love - title be damned - about this effort from the Vein affiliated Fleshwater is how it adds enough critical elements to it that really empower me to argue it out of shoegaze’s greedy clutches. For one the riffs are actual riffs, never lazing along content in their own prettiness they have shape and form to them as well. Furthermore the bass guitar has tone, the right amount of topline buzz that makes it more than passive underpinning. Chorsues too. And a Bjork cover that truly goes off. One of this year’s strongest releases.