I've seen the future of music and... wait... that's George Lang's bit.
This past weekend, OKC-based nu-metal death rockers Chat Pile released their debut album – God's Country – to the streaming realm. It's been praised by the national music press, with everyone from Pitchfork to Paste lauding the work for its tone, style, and originality.
The album has been in heavy rotation at Ogle Manor all week, and after a few dozen listens, I'm ready to declare its debut single "Slaughterhouse" as the song of the Oklahoma summer.
It's loud, angry and powerful, yet also beautiful, harmonic, and hypnotic. It perfectly captures the mood of living in an overheated, fiery, right-wing hell like Oklahoma that only a band that arose from those red dirt ashes can create.
As an added bonus, the music video for Slaughterhouse was filmed here in OKC and heavily features the giant Swadley's "Christ the Grifter" cross along Memorial Rd. near Quail Springs Mall!
Even if you're not a nu-metal person, do yourself a favor and watch it...
See what I mean? Fucking rad. It makes me want to run through a wall and eat a pile of dry, messy Swadley's spare ribs, or knock over the "Live, Laugh Love" displays at Hobby Lobby.
You should really give the entire album a listen. The second track, "Why?" is probably the most honest, direct, and easy-to-identify song about homelessness ever created:
I usually don't pick up on a song's lyrics until the 50th listen, and even I was able to identify what that was about. They should include free downloads with a purchase of the Curbside Chronicle.
According to a bunch of reviews and interviews I've read, the band claims they were primarily influenced by... Korn.
As a guy who bought "Follow The Leader" at Blockbuster Music the day it came out, I can hear and appreciate some of those early aughts influences, especially with the hauntingly-splendid detuned guitar. Maybe it's due to the spoken-word tendencies of the lead vocalist – and the heavy, plodding pace of the bass and rhythm – but I also hear louder, heavier, and more modern elements of Slint. But that's just me.
Anyway, regardless of your thoughts on the Nu-Metal / Death Metal / "Turn That Devil Music Down!" genre, let's give a TLO salute to the guys in Chat Pile for producing a true work of art that everyone in this town should appreciate.
I can't wait to see where their career goes, and what laws Oklahoma politicians introduce to ban their music from libraries.
Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised.
