For too long the youth have been tainted by scene trends. A glut of djent, cock-rock revivalists, syrupy synth choruses and bass drop riddled deathcore have stifled creativity and set queues for the herds to follow. While Code Orange may no longer be “kids” (as evidenced by their revised moniker,) this aural nail bomb of an album does spell hope for the next generation.
“I Am King” isn’t influenced in the slightest by commercialism or conformity. The group’s sound is anything but tailored for the latest ‘scene’ package tour. From punishing sludgy drone—with lingering vocals from the groups female guitarist Reba Meyers—that sounds like it was winched out of Kylesa‘s swampy backyard (“Dreams In Inertia“,) to the explosions of ransacking noise ala Converge and bouts of Poison The Well‘s repressed off-kilter melodies, Code Orange set out to decimate.
This often results in a mélange of brittle violence and guttural depth greatly inspired by hardcore, yet not confined by it. In that sense the unwieldy discordance laid down here doesn’t exactly go down easy. But beneath the murk and hostility is true passion. Sadly there’s too much rawness present in the chaotic songwriting to put “I Am King” on the throne. But there’s definitely enough heart to batter down the doors and lay siege to the castle.
