Greg Puciato Child Soldier: Creator Of God

Rising to prominence as the fearless frontman of The Dillinger Escape Plan, Greg Puciato has long cemented his legacy through blood, sweat and tears. A ferocious live presence matched with considerable vocal talent that transcends genre (his most recent project was an 80s synthwave inspired venture,) he remains as enigmatic as ever on his solo debut.

While those familiar with his projects and guest appearances over the years may have an idea of what to expect, it’s safe to say that few will truly be prepared for what awaits them on this record. “Child Soldier: Creator Of God” follows no rule book and is an uncomfortably close-seated deep dive populated by disparate influences and heartfelt excursions; a feverish unpacking of emotional extremes where boundaries are of no concern.

Puciato can be menacingly spiteful on one track and awash in contemplative melancholy on the next. The foreshadowing for these violent mood swings is established early on. A mere two tracks in the deep bass drops of “Creator Of God” and its The Black Queen reminiscent swoon come to a screeching halt as two minutes of wrenching feedback cast the track into a hellish abyss.

In case you’re wondering, songs like “Temporary Object” and “A Pair Of Questions” also touch further on his melodically inviting work in The Black Queen. “Deep Set” finds him with slithering through the gutter with seething early 90s alt metal inspired malice, while “Do You Need Me To Remind You?” & “Roach Hiss” sound like a less-virtuosic approximation of his work in The Dillinger Escape Plan.

There’s some curveballs to be found too as the somewhat grimy “Down When I’m Not” sounds like a sleazier spin on something from the Pixies‘ late ’80s heyday. Then there’s the early ’90s Nine Inch Nails flair found on “Evacuation“, which is certainly worth the price of admission for those who enjoyed The Dillinger Escape Plan‘s take on “Wish“.

Puciato largely put himself in the drivers seat here when it came to the instrumentation. Some assistance was required though, including help from producer Nick Rowe and several guest drummers, among them: Ben Koller (Converge, etc.), Chris Hornbrook (Poison The Well, etc.) and Puciato‘s ex-The Dillinger Escape Plan bandmate Chris Pennie. With a percussive roster that runs that deep, you can expect to hear some particularly dense performances behind the kit.

Taken as a whole, “Child Soldier: Creator Of God” feels more an unfiltered descent into Puciato‘s head than an attempt at launching a ‘band’ or reinventing himself. The music and the intent behind it are palpably therapeutic. A necessary expulsion of creativity and exploration of ideas that had no other place to be purged. Be it unapologetically long blasts of distorted noise or inviting ethereal ambiance, this is artistic expression without the taint of commercial intent.

As such, it may test the limits of even the most diehard fans of his past work. Puciato quite simply offers no safety rails. The songs are contrastingly diverse and there’s little common ground to be found as a whole outside of his guiding voice.

That lack of conformity may deter some from front to back listens, but in terms of artistry, you can’t fault the honesty that is offered.  Should you be willing to wade deep into the unknown, Puciato is all too happy to lead.

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