ALBUM REVIEW: Anomie – Death & The Penguin
London based band DEATH & THE PENGUIN storm onto the scene of alternate rock with their self-release debut album Anomie. A twelve track bombardment to the senses which focuses on breaking generic conventions and subverting every other single expectation of this genre.
Without a doubt this album packs in a ton of potential and makes it hard to believe that this is only the group’s debut effort. DEATH & THE PENGUIN seem to have set themselves a clear goal at being different by splicing together a plethora of elements from other genres to create their unique and somewhat confusing sound.
Straight out of the gates with opening track Hospital Song you get an immediate feel for what DEATH & THE PENGUIN are trying to achieve. An eerie, slow paced organ accompanied with even more unearthly vocals gives the listener an incredible comfortable yet uncomfortable feeling. At only two minutes and fourteen seconds long it’s a mighty, powerful opening track indeed.
Ending with a long reverb tone which leads into the second number, The Calving Shuffle.This track demonstrates very well what the band is able to achieve with their combination of guitar, bass, keys, more keys and electronic sounds. Trying to describe this style gives only one ideal word; disjointed, but by no means from a negative perspective. In any other world this wouldn’t work but strangely enough DEATH & THE PENGUIN have found the perfect proportion in which to balance these elements with their impressive instrumental skill.
Anomie itself evolves and changes so much from track to track that it’s hard to pin down a single feeling. Whilst the movement between genres is confusing it’s quite clear to see their focus on melodic tones to create something that hasn’t been successfully attempted before. As the album goes on it’s hard to not feel captivated by how the sounds mould together to create something that is bold and daring. There’s something charming about the blues-like scales backed by softer vocals that suddenly evolve into death curdling screams on Space 1998.
On the whole, Anomie comes down to one word; different. An incredibly interesting display of talent which won’t be down to everybody’s taste but it’s certainly an impressive repertoire of skill and knowledge. DEATH & THE PENGUIN have crafted a record with Anomie that is a definite experience to say the least with too many unforgettable tracks to name just one as the stand out leader. From its lyrical complexity to its mashup of elements, there’s sure to be something for everyone on this album. Regardless of who will and will not enjoy the album, it’s going to be a hell of a ride for this band and intriguing to see just how far they can go.
Rating: 8/10
Anomie is out now via self-release.
Like DEATH & THE PENGUIN on Facebook.