ALBUM REVIEW: Underneath – Code Orange

Whether it’s fair or not, CODE ORANGE have had the future of heavy metal zealously heaped on their shoulders. They may not have outright asked for the responsibility, but there was only one response the world was going to have when the omnipotent Forever was un-caged in 2017. Since the release of what was the quintets exceptional breakout album – CODE ORANGE have gone on to break down boundaries that weren’t even there to begin with, they’ve become heavy metal popular culture.

It’s fascinating that as you press play on Underneath, the question isn’t as limited as: “Where will CODE ORANGE take their sound now?” no, instead you’re wondering where the Pittsburgh brutes are going to take hardcore as a whole. While trying to nail the five piece down to simply one facet of music in itself feels criminal: there’s still a burgeoning stem of both classic, and modernised hardcore that scorches through the bands fourth, and most genius record.

There has always been a sense that CODE ORANGE are a musical island, a band that no one even dare attempt to replicate – and this concept is truly cemented on Underneath. An album that at times could be confused with a horror movie surrounding a hook filled chorus: Underneath is as disturbing as it is outright violent. Opening track (deeperthanbefore) child whispers of “Let’s take a good look at you” create the same level of anxiety as the screams of “The whole thing, I think it’s sick!” on the classic SLIPKNOT self-titled record.

Similar to the Iowan superstars’ debut, Underneath wastes no time leaping sharply at your throat though. The luminous beginnings of Swallowing The Rabbit Whole soon become subdued by an arsenal of jagged, enraged riffs. Though this is certainly the CODE ORANGE you remember – there’s a twist, the delivery is sharper, extra focused, and if possible: heavier. Following track In Fear brings a similar outlook, but this time with a pinching groove lurking beneath the brutality – this is as much JESUS PIECE as it is NINE INCH NAILS.

The truth is Underneath could already go down as a landmark record before it reaches its half way point. The relentless battery is ferociously continued on You And You Alone before Reba Myers’ haunting vocal delivery does little to calm the nerves on Who I Am.

But it’s the one-two of Sulfur Surrounding and The Easy Way that helps nudge the album into all time great territory. Akin to Forever‘s Bleeding In The Blur – it beggars belief how CODE ORANGE can spend 20 minutes sounding like the most tortuously heavy band in existence, before dropping into two alt-rock escapades that would be most bands finest moments. The latter especially boasts the kind of mammoth, unhinged chorus that wouldn’t have felt overly out of place on FOO FIGHTERS‘ The Colour And The Shape.

Both Cold Metal Place and Back Inside The Glass deliver the manic, hardcore, punk paced output the five piece have become synonymous with – but this is far from a statutory throwback. When heaped in with this records seemingly endless list of knockout hitters: this merely adds to the variety, and Underneath does an otherworldly job of never trying to pull the same trick in the same way twice.

How do you follow up one of the most compelling, revered albums of the last 20 years? You write another one. Make no mistake: what CODE ORANGE have done over these last two albums will be looked back at for decades to come as a dark, yet genius capture of time. While their creative depth is unfathomable, it’s the band’s individualistic identity you can never stray away from. This is nothing like you’ve heard before, for the second time, the future of heavy music is now: and it’s phenomenal.

Rating: 10/10

Underneath is set for release on March 13th via Roadrunner Records.

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