ALBUM REVIEW: Cleave – Therapy?

If you were to put together an extensive list of the most important British rock bands of the last few decades, then it’s perhaps not unlikely that you’d eventually arrive at Northern Irish trio THERAPY? in doing so. Having formed at the tail end of the 1980’s, the band would go on to produce multiple works of genuine gold within the realm of alternative music over the next decade – most notably culminating with their 1994 critical peak Troublegum. Ever since then, the three-piece have shown remarkable consistency in their releases – soldiering on with record after record of bangers and now finally hitting the milestone of their fifteenth album.

As soon as you press play on Cleave, there’s no build-up, just the immediate punch-to-the-face riff of Wreck It Like Beckett. Interweaving staccato riffing with almost-rap-rock-like vocals, it’s an heavily impactful opening gambit, and one that fully reestablishes the punky alt-metal stylings that THERAPY? are best known for in the mind of the listener; with Andy Cairns’ distorted vocals providing the perfect counterbalance to his bandmates’ cacophony of noise. It’s a powerful combination, and one that simply feels exciting if nothing else.

In fact, if there’s one thing that THERAPY? could never be accused of with this record, it’s being boring. Near enough every moment on Cleave crackles with energy and excitement; be it the bouncy almost-RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE stomp of Kakistocracy, or the curled-lip snarl of Expelled (the latter being driven by some truly thunderous rhythmic backing by bassist Michael McKeegan and drummer Neil Cooper). Along the way, a masterful production job from returning Troublegum helmsman Chris Sheldon, back at the desk for the first time since 2003’s High Anxiety, ensures that Cleave comes across as possessing a raw sonic canvas very much in the vein of what made them so beloved in the first place.

That’s not to say everything present here is fuzzed-up and overdriven to death though. Lead single Callow lets loose early the band’s deceptive knack for crafting big hooks, and creates a deeply memorable track in doing so. At the most accessible end of the spectrum, Save Me From The Ordinary possesses easily one of the more melodic vocals on Cleave, whilst Crutch takes an almost WILDHEARTS-esque approach to crafting its huge soaring chorus; creating a pairing of two of the record’s best moments in the process.

Screeching guitars and clattering drums are the order of the day once more on Dumbdown, meanwhile; the track more or less living up to its name by sacking off much in the way of melody, creating a more simplistic and primal, yet still heavily engaging beast of a track. With clattering, scattergun drumming and more rap-like vocal lines, it’s most definitely within the alt-metal banner, and something that doesn’t so much ask for your attention as grab you by the throat and demand it.

After such a relentlessly high-pace, it’s one last refreshing surprise then that the record ends on a moment like No Sunshine, a track which manages to meld blasts of energetic punk with the aforementioned huge choruses, as well as throwing in some dour and stripped-back verses almost bereft of any accompaniment at times. It truly feels like a distillation of almost every other moment on Cleave, and not only succeeds in melding these elements, but in being a brilliant anthem to boot.

Overall, there’s actually very little negative to point out in the ten tracks that make up Cleave. By continuing to marry white-hot riffing with both primal and melodic vocals in equal measure, THERAPY? have very much continued to prove why they’re one of the best in the game at what they do; creating a handful of moments here that may even stack up as being some of their best since Troublegum.

Rating: 7/10

Cleave is set for release September 21st via Marshall Records. The band are featured on the cover of the latest issue of Distorted Sound, purchase a copy here.

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