Savage Pleasure: S/T 12″

Description

Our take: After a demo cassette a few years ago, Toxic State Records unleashes the debut vinyl from New Yorks Savage Pleasure into the world. If you havent heard Savage Pleasure, the first thing you might think when you listen is whoa, this band really sounds like Amebix, and while thats a fine thing, I worry that belaboring the comparison will get in the way of appreciating what a fantastic album this is. Theres something about the way Savage Pleasure deploys dynamics that keeps me flipping this record over and over. While they pack the LP with hooky metal riffs, Savage Pleasure largely avoids the grand gesturesbreakdowns, flashy guitar solos, big chord changesthat form the highlight reels of most hardcore punk records. Instead, their sound churns (a verb I come back to whenever I try to describe their sound), seemingly as regularly as the tides, but like the ocean, possessing an undeniable power. Tempos shift gradually in a Celtic Frost-ian way, with just enough variation to ensure the music never gets stale or repetitive. As the records synth and acoustic guitar intro sets the scene, Savage Pleasure pulls you into their world with The Sickening Fear, and its like a fog has descended, blocking out the rest of the world and saying youre with Savage Pleasure now. The album is quite shortonly 20 minutes, which feels brief given the cinematic scopebut there isnt a moment that feels redundant or half-baked. When youre in Savage Pleasures world, youre there completely. There has been a lot of creative energy in this UK crust-influenced corner of the underground lately, and certainly if youve been enjoying recent records by Industry, Rigorous Institution, and Subdued, check out Savage Pleasure. But I think this is more than just a RIYL record, so try following Savage Pleasure into their world, and if youre anything like me, youre going to want to stay for a while.

• Label: Toxic State Records
• Format Type: 12″
• Year: 2024