ALBUM REVIEW: death fetish – Moodring
The late 2010s and early 2020s have proved that there is a fertile market for nu-metal revivalism within metalcore. From bands like ALPHA WOLF that keep the aggression and groove of SLIPKNOT and bands like LOATHE that bring in the shoegazey atmospheres of DEFTONES, the genre has found itself a home amidst the breakdowns and radio-choruses that have begun to define the mainstream bands in the modern metalcore. The Hunter Young-helmed outfit MOODRING has been one of the more promising exports in a subgenre that can easily fall into corniness, and Young does an admirable job at keeping his sound fresh on this new album, death fetish.
The first thing to praise with this record is the production. As was evident with his work with brutal deathcore unit PSYCHO-FRAME, whose debut record was one of the best metal showings of last year, Young knows how to produce a punchy drum and a ragged guitar tone. Unlike the bass-heavy, metallic-snared engineering on that record, though, the production here is a bit lighter, bouncier, and more nimble. It lends itself well to these uptempo tracks that bounce frenetically from snarling breakdowns to memorable choruses.
The first track and lead single Half-Life is a great opener that shows us what we can expect from the rest of the record: brisk, half-screamed verses and a powerfully sung hook, with a sweet breakdown, to boot. The emotional core on this album is well-established with this song, too. While many a metalcore band writes lyrics bemoaning their mental state, it hits a bit harder knowing Young’s background. He was diagnosed with a neuro-immune disorder in 2022 that he has said has kept him from touring. Rather than letting this debilitating struggle lower his work ethic, he has only doubled his efforts to produce consistently great material. “I have to ‘Frankenstein’ myself with a concoction of supplements and drugs to continue to do what I do. I know that I’m hurting myself by doing it, but if I stop, I’ll go insane”, he said regarding his decision to work as hard as he does. This context makes the chorus hook of, “I’m living half a life now/I’m swallowing the pain, what’s left to take” come across far more painfully than the average metalcore diatribe.
There are lots of other highlights to draw from this record, too. Masochist Machine has one of the stickiest hooks on the record, even if the digitally stuttered screams that occasionally surface in the song are a tad corny. Gunplay (Suicidal 3way) is another great moment, embracing an industrial aesthetic that complements Young’s drawling delivery on the chorus. This industrial edge can be felt on all corners of the album, with sequenced beats, clanking breakdown snares, and gritted-teeth whispers appearing all over the album. It shows yet another nod to older strains of late 90s and early 2000s metal, but the metalcore breakdowns and uptempo song structures keep these ideas fresh in their re-contextualisations.
Not every song fully lands, however. Ketamine is the lone ballad of the album, and while it does have a unique progression compared to the rest of the song’s fairly standard structures, it’s sleepy chorus leaves a bit to be desired. Additionally, as the album goes on, it does tend to get a bit repetitive. If you’re completely immersed in the sonic world Young creates here, that might be a good thing, but while his modern take on old genres is good, a few more experiments here and there with song ideas would’ve cemented this album as a bit more notable. As it is, it doesn’t have too many standout weak spots, but that’s because for the most part, while it is admirably raw and consistent, its sound remains relatively unchanging.
death fetish will be a hit with MOODRING fans and anyone who can appreciate the varying strains of alternative metal that the project has drawn from here. Slight redundancies in the tracklist aside, this is a wholly authentic effort that shows the band carving their space in this revival scene. Young’s work ethic and talent are commendable, and the output here feels genuine and drawn from a dark place, and it deserves your consideration at least for that.
Rating: 7/10
death fetish is out now via SharpTone Records.
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