The monolithic collaboration between industrial-noise post-everything bands Uniform and The Body continues with a second entry, Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back.
Comprised of an amalgam of abrasive influence that spans Swans-y dirge and purge, Whitehouse’s clenched-jaw noise, middle-period Ministry’s penchant for metallic post-industrial everything, New Order’s nose for melodic emotionality, and Juicy J-inspired beats, Uniform and The Body‘s approach delves deeper down the rabbit hole than before, igniting a sonic world of terror and bliss poised to grip the throats of fans yet again.
Today they’ve shared the album’s lead track “Penance” which Uniform‘s Michael Berdan explains, “has to do with an ongoing attempt to hold oneself to a higher standard than you did yesterday. Human beings are bound to mess up as often as not, which can lead to either teachable experiences or nihilistic resign. I grew up surrounded by religious types who could act like monsters six days out of the week as long as they were willing to say ‘sorry’ to some priest and pray a rosary on the seventh. Continuing in malicious behavior and demanding arbitrary absolution is a garbage way to live. However, if we take account of where we’ve done harm to others and ourselves and endeavor to learn and not repeat these actions, then maybe we can grow into empathetic and loving people.”
LISTEN & SHARE “PENANCE”: YOUTUBE | BANDCAMP
Much like the collective’s bombastic debut, Everything was built over a series of collaborative sessions with Seth Manchester at Machines with Magnets in Rhode Island, mixing industrial-influenced synths, squalls of harsh noise, manipulated guitar, oodles of samples along with hard rock-inspired riffs, saccharine pop, and the alternately antagonistic and harrowing vocals of Michael Berdan and Chip King.
The result is nine tracks of ear-bleeding and confrontational fury with defined moments of beauty that bring to mind equal parts No Trend, Merzbow, and Information Society while forging a path that is distinctly their own.
Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back is specifically culled from the immortal Bruce Springsteen effort Nebraska, joining a long line of literary and cinematic references that pepper the album. And while the title is specific to that lyric, the sentiment also ties into author James Elroy and his notion that closure is an illusion, a conclusion found in his 1996 effort ‘My Dark Places.’ Dealing with tragic loss is never a closed book, and the details, circumstances, and inherent emotions that surround coping never end, they just morph into something else, only to rear their ugly head again later in life.
The collaboration between the two bands was built upon mutual admiration for each other’s work, which led to bonds of friendship. After the release of the debut collaborative effort, Uniform released the critically praised The Long Walk and embarked on a smash tour with Deafheaven and Drab Majesty, while The Body released the widely acclaimed I Have Fought Against It, But I Can’t Any Longer and took to the road for their own successful and extensive North American tour.
The demand for the collaboration eventually necessitated a U.S. jaunt, pairing the collective for rare dates with Author & Punisher and Street Sects on both coasts. It was on those dates that the bands started to plant the seeds for what would become Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back.
Uniform/The Body current tour plans. Everything That Dies Someday Comes Back will be released August 16 as part of Sacred Bones’ Alliance Series. A new CD edition, also out August 16, will include both Uniform & The Body collaborative albums – Mental Wounds Not Healing and Everything That Dies in their entirety — for more info and to pre-order go here.