Anodyne’s releases are quite consistent with very attractive artwork. I have no idea what this artwork is…it seems to be a city skyline with streaks going through it. I don’t know, but I know I like it. Inside the booklet are lyrics and all the necessary info.
Anodyne’s music is certainly not for everyone. If you don’t like seemingly chaotic noise, this will not float your boat. The best way to describe this is noisy...the vocals aren't yelled or growled, they're roared...the drums aren't hit, they are pounded...the riffs aren't being played, they're being banged out. There is a certain rage here that many bands try to capture but I'm not sure any actually do.
I don't even know if rage is the right word...it's just insanity...the music is ferocious, it pounds you, it seems to make little sense just raging on then all of a sudden it gets quiet...but it's not mellow, it's more like something has collapsed and is lurking, building up the energy, frantic almost, and eventually you know it's about to explode.
This is what makes the music so punishing...anyone can pound you with blasts for thirty minutes, but what makes this so intense is that they stop, they quiet down but there's that sense of brooding and uneasiness that makes you uncomfortable.
That's one the best things this band does, it creates music that can make the listener just feel beaten by the end of the album. This isn't an everyday listen, but it's something that when you feel like hearing some brutal, noisy music you put it on and recall why you enjoy metal. It's beautiful in just how ugly it is.
Fans of metal, hardcore, anything on HydraHead, bands like Deadguy, even bands like Converge need to hear Anodyne. Get out there and find it, you won't be sorry.
