ALBUM REVIEW: The Ugly Side Of Me – Tetrarch
When TETRARCH burst onto the scene in 2017 with debut album Freak, the ears of every millennial metalhead pricked as one. Nu-metal was by now fully into its second wind – KORN and LIMP BIZKIT had toured the UK together the previous winter – but this was a band who had taken the genre’s greatest traits, given them a 21st century coat of paint, added a dash of metalcore and produced a record that would have fitted in right at home during the early 00s. Second album Unstable did away with the ‘core and went straight for the nostalgic jugular, an album that offered those of us clinging to their comforts in a world still reeling from the COVID-19 pandemic a means of devouring new music with a recognisable style, and now they’re back with The Ugly Side Of Me, released on Friday May 9th via Napalm Records.
Given the success they’ve had so far with their own take on nostalgia, it’ll come to the surprise of exactly nobody that TETRARCH are sticking to their guns. There’s no shift in tone or style, no foray into new territory, just half an hour of nu-metal bangers that could have been released in 2002 and you wouldn’t have noticed at all. Opening track Anything Like Myself is full on KORN worship with its bouncy, swaggering bassline and the eerie keyboard tones floating through at various points; the same holds true for Best Of Luck, which brings to mind the shimmer of Twisted Transistor.
Meanwhile The Only Thing I’ve Got sparks memories of Meteora-era LINKIN PARK, especially in the chorus which sounds colossal and arena-ready, in no small part thanks to an excellent production job. Moreover, you can tell they’re written from the heart – “I gave you my trust, but never again” wails frontman Josh Fore on Never Again (Parasite), his delivery with an angst that made the cream of nu-metal hit home with disenchanted youth.
Yet, while TETRARCH are extremely good at what they do, there’s certainly a ceiling to this if you’re not prepared to push the boat out. Sure, you can make it big without changing your styles – just ask AC/DC and MOTÖRHEAD – but they were pioneers in their respective fields; nu metal has risen, fallen and risen again already. As a result, perspective is needed on this record – yes, it’s a record that contains very little fat and that’s more that can be said for the majority of nu-metal bands, but it’s still covering well-trodden ground. If TETRARCH are to grow, they need to stand out more, bring their own spin on the genre and showcase something that shows people where nu-metal can progress, else they’re in danger of plateauing quickly and growing stale.
For those who weren’t around for nu-metal the first time, The Ugly Side Of Me is arguably the best representation of why it was so beloved; it feels like a compilation of all the best bits, a homemade mixtape for Sony Walkmans and cassette players that would be taken on road trips and outings. It’s not reinventing the wheel by any stretch of the imagination but it’s a hell of a lot of fun, and that’s what matters here.
Rating: 7/10
The Ugly Side Of Me is out now via Napalm Records.
Like TETRARCH on Facebook.