we're not here to be loved

fleshwater

A few people over at the vein.fm camp seem to be busy because in addition to releasing their album the world is going to ruin you - an album I quite enjoyed I might add - we are now getting this album from the spin-off group fleshwater. And it's pretty neat. They continue to uphold these very alternative, nu-metal sounds, but approach it from a more groovy, ethereal, and level-headed angle. I'll admit though, it isn't at all a novel experience. There are times where I feel like we are getting ideas right out of Deftones' 2003 self-titled album. The submerged, languid croons of both Anthony DiDio and Marisa Shirar mirror very closely Chino Moreno's vocal sound. The muscular, straight-forward drumming from Matt Wood has a hint of that Abe Cunningham spice in the grooves. Sometimes the guitars are chorused just right that it perfectly maps onto the tone of Needles and Pins. They even share a similar aesthetic that I can characterize as being super raw, a little seedy, and gritty, even when the band tries to go quieter, cleaner. Lucky for fleshwater, I think Deftones' self-titled album is pretty underrated. So even though it's not totally original, they at least picked a good reference point.

Baldpate Driver is the track that kicks this thing off and it is the strongest statement the record has. After a deceivingly quiet four count on closed hi-hats, with a powerful tom hit and exaggerated bass slide, the song explodes into a wall of modulated guitar. The searing, dissonant guitar wails over top burns so good. And then the band is off to the races, delivering one crushing passage after another. I also really liked Woohoo for it's blistering pace and major leaning tonality. Matt Wood occasionally throws in some tight blast beats to keep the band's energy running at max levels. Shirar delivers her most powerful performances as well on this tune. Oddly enough, we also get a cover of Bjôrk's Enjoy, which is so far removed from the original with the beatdown hardcore riffs that I would never have made the connection had I not looked it up. On this track, I do find the contrast between the heavy and shoegazy sections to be a little awkward, but I do really enjoy the somewhat heavenly quality of the chorus.

I do generally like this album, but there are just a few things that are keeping me from really loving it. For one, the sung vocals at times do leave a little to be desired. I know what they are going for, but Shirar and DiDio's voices don't quite have the same hypnotizing power that a Chino Moreno has. There's also quite a few short songs on this collection and there are some that feel over too soon, or leaving off feeling like they have more to say. Backstairs Breathing is the major culprit which is why it is probably my least favourite tune if i had to pick one. The closer Foreign is wonderfully intense, but I feel like it 'roller coasters' a little too much. The energy continuously declines despite the band's attempts to recover after a dynamic soft point. It's the longest track on the record as well at just over five minutes, so perhaps there's a little fat that could be trimmed to make it flow a little more smoothly.

we're not here to be loved is a nice little piece of post-grunge and early 2000s nu-metal appreciation. And really, now's the time to do it as these more ethereal, shoegaze sounds seem to be booming in the underground metal scene right now. I'm not sure how much time and devotion the members are willing to split between both bands, but I would like to hear more from fleshwater in the future. I would like to see maybe a levelled up riff game, maybe a few more compelling vocal melodies and performances, and above all, more of an attempt to carve out their own unique sound within the genre. For now though, this satisfies on a basic level.