ALBUM REVIEW: The Code – Underer

When you think of a one-man-band, you may be forgiven for picturing a wisened, slightly bedraggled gentleman with a drum strapped to his back, bells on his toes and an accordion sitting snugly between his arms. For UNDERER however – the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Nick Shellenberger – the aesthetic is about as far removed from this image of frivolity as you could possibly get. With debut record The Code, Shellenberger indulges the most chilling fragments of his psyche, resulting in an experimental art piece that is as harrowing as almost any other album you’ll hear this year.

After an explosive intro-track, it doesn’t take long for things to take a turn towards the unsettling side with Lady; a seven-minute melting pot of twists, turns and stylistic shifts that’s ambition is only matched by the sheer ballsiness of its creator to try and pull off such an esoteric, eclectic piece of work. The doom-filled elements of Seven then feel like they’re trying to smother you in some form of viscous, tar-black substance, drowning you with a gleeful oppression that only lifts as the track bleeds into Friendly Son; a much lighter affair in comparison yet no less bleak.

At times this record is reminiscent of BABY GODZILLA before they morphed into HECK, as there are flashes of promise around every corner that sometimes leave you cold, yet often smack you square in the chops and demand you pay attention. At times The Code also feels almost like a film score soundtracking your most vivid nightmare. Clattering, unnerving instrumental piece Marlin ramps up the intensity to a level that – if listened to during the hours of darkness – may just make you want to triple check that you locked the front door. The villain of the ensemble continues to lurk in your peripheral vision throughout, evading your gaze before bursting through on The Nothing and continuing with the suffocating assault on the senses.

This record rarely reaches the quality of the bands that it mimics – there’s nothing up to the standard of THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN or AGORAPHOBIC NOSEBLEED at their best – but then again there are few full bands who could go toe to toe with the giants of the scene, let alone one man – no matter how many instruments and how much technological wizardry he has at his disposal.

There are so many genres thrown together in such a short space of time here that inevitably not everything sticks, but the sheer dynamic range should undoubtedly be applauded, and enough of the ideas hit the mark to not only make this an intriguing listen, but to also suggest that there could be more to come in the future. 

In short, The Code is not for the faint of heart. It’s a rollercoaster ride of scattershot instrumentation melded with the vocal delivery of a protagonist slipping ever closer to insanity, kicking and screaming every step of the way. Its canvas is vast yet it never comes close to outstaying its welcome; an aural portrait of the rapture delivered as a snapshot – a fleeting glimpse of the inner turmoil bubbling beneath the cracking, weathered surface that just about holds it all together…

Rating: 7/10

The Code is out now via Nefarious Industries.

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