ALBUM REVIEW: Let Them Eat Fake – False Fed

FALSE FED are a new band whose members have served time in so many notable and influential bands. From DISCHARGE, AMEBIX and NAUSEA to BROKEN BONES, ZYGOTE, MINISTRY and SOULFLY , the four-piece that consists of vocalist Jeff Janiak, guitarist Stig Miller, bassist JP Parsons and drummer Roy Mayorga have so much history in extreme music, so bringing the four of them together was always going to be explosive. The band’s debut album Let Them Eat Fake has found the perfect home on Neurot Recordings, and there is no doubt you will be swept away by its dark nature.

If however, you expected FALSE FED to be an amalgamation of all the members’ previous and current bands, then you can definitely think again as they have something completely different going on and the dark punk sound that they make has a dark mysticism that is as enchanting as it is aggressive. Of course, it is still angry music but FALSE FED have that darkness that is undeniably menacing without being overwhelmingly in your face with it. This aspect allows their sparse and intense songs to take on an extra element of heaviness, as they rally against the ills of the world in their own thoughtfully pissed off fashion.

Things kick off with the brilliant Superficial and from then on in, FALSE FED‘s deathly heavy dark punk noise sounds fantastic and with tracks like The Tyrant Dies, The Big Sleep and Dreadful Necessities they prove without a shadow of a doubt they have the songs to back up what a great band they are. By the time Let Them Eat Fake concludes with the stunningly haunting outro The One Thing We Cannot Avoid, you are left floored by what you have just listened to.

It is great to hear another side to Janiak‘s brilliant vocals on this album and he proves what a formidable presence he is and is ably aided by Miller, Parsons and Mayorga who create a discordant sonic assault throughout. Bands like KILLING JOKE, JOY DIVISION and BAUHAUS are reference points at times but FALSE FED definitely have their own vibe going on and the songs on Let Them Eat Fake do their own talking in a subtle but ultimately hard-hitting fashion.

Let Them Eat Fake is an impressive debut album (let’s hope it is the first of many to follow) from four amazing musicians who have created something inspiring and fully embraced that dark sound in their own inimitable way. FALSE FED should be fully applauded for that, as they could have easily traded in on their other bands’ sounds and quickly knocked something out that way. The fact that they chose to take their time with this album and demonstrate other influences is testament that Let Them Eat Fake stands proudly and honestly in the way that the best punk albums always have done.

Rating: 8/10

Let Them Eat Fake is set for release on October 13th via Neurot Recordings.

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