“Enforce the self imposed seconds from a tower I scope in and find them.“
Entering their fourth record on Self-Tape, MouthBreather have become more than an established unit. Set to tour with some of America’s finest acts in Chamber and Tracheotomy, Mouthbreather once again unleash their rollercoaster of sound and style, offers a distinctive blend of heavy hitting tracks with moments of brilliance.
The opening track, “Ethical Hunting“, kicks things off with a bang. It sets the pace for the record, starting strong and hitting hard right from the get-go. The vocal styles complement each other well, creating an intense experience that contains many moments to two-step to and would be incredibly fun in a live setting. This energy is continued in the following track “Imaginary Skin“. This track oozes energy, and whilst it may not be as instantly catchy, it makes up for it in other ways, such as a clean break which really stands out. The electronic elements during the breakdown nearer to the end of this track are a cool addition, although I can’t help but feel that they could have been more consistently present throughout the track to make it feel a bit more cohesive.
“Wave To Me” is an interesting track on this release, and it takes a somewhat unexpected turn, kicking off with a somewhat emo-sounding intro, which may feel slightly out of place to some after the preceding heaviness. The vocals, at times, get lost in the mix on this cut due to the distortion, but the track makes up for it with an interesting breakdown and extremely danceable outro help to redeem it.
Self-Tape throws itself right back into the action on “You Try To Die“, which continues the album’s relentless onslaught with barked vocals and blistering instrumentals. One small footnote for this track though is the mid-song pause and the somewhat misplaced guitar solo, which slightly disrupts the flow a little. The lyricism on this cut, though simplistic, is fitting and matches the ferocious tone set through the instrumentation. We ride this wave of heaviness into the following track, “Shotgun Funeral“, an unrelenting beast of a track showcases the band’s strengths. With blistering drum work, brutal guitars, and harsh vocals all playing off of one another fantastically. It is possibly the heaviest offering on the album, and it knows how to keep up the two-step momentum. The pacing is spot on here and allows the track to breathe when necessary without losing its spark. It’s also noteworthy that slowing the track down towards the end to lead into an atmospheric outro is something that I really appreciated, and it felt very fitting.
The transition into “iDoctor” from this works seamlessly, and the transformation of sound is executed well. This track exudes a sense of doom and despair through its instrumentation, with contrasting vocal styles that play off each other effectively. This track has the potential to be a favourite across the release, but sadly some strange and somewhat unnecessary guitar work at the very end left has a feeling of wonder why and detracted from the track on the whole.
“Rot Out” introduces yet another stylistic change, with a leading guitar riff. This track includes one of the most on-the-nose lyrical references across the release, but there’s very little else to be said for it. It’s not a bad song at all, but it also didn’t stand out to me. “I Know Best” leads in with the outro of “Rot Out“, creating a smooth transition – something that I am a sucker for. The unique vocal delivery and twisted riffs during the chorus might not be everyone’s cup of tea on this cut, but the verses shine with growled vocals surrounded by a sinister atmosphere. The track knows just when to take a breather, cutting out to just a riff and atmospheric elements, preventing it from becoming stale. Sadly, the outro into “Solemate” feels rather abrupt, and once again detracts from the track on the whole.
Lyrically on the weaker side, “Solemate” is very on the nose with it’s referencing. Thankfully, the instrumentals bring it up somewhat, but they are not enough to save it from being one of the weakest tracks on the release. I also couldn’t help but feel as if the breakdown was underdeveloped here, and that there was a lot of missed potential – maybe this is something that the band can play around with in live sets, only time will tell.
“Self-Tape“, the closing instrumental track, is a curious choice to end the album. Starting softly after the preceding heaviness, it presents a completely different side of the band, characterised by eerie and subtle atmospherics. It’s an intriguing track, though its abrupt addition at the end feels disconnected from the rest of the release. I wish there was more like this across the release, and that it had been interwoven throughout the entirety as opposed to being a single track that feels thrown in. It is fantastic, and really shows the range that this band possesses.
In general, this release has its moments of brilliance and bafflement. Transitions between tracks are inconsistent, at times being fantastic, and in other instances being non-existent. The concept of movie-themed tracks is also something that I personally find to be hit or miss, with bands such as Ice Nine Kills making it increasingly popular, it is hard for me to not feel like this trope is growing old fast. All of this said, I have to give credit where credit is due and say that it’s definitely worth noting that the album offers a wide range of experiences, showcasing the band’s versatility. It’s a release that may not be for everyone, but those willing to explore its depths will find a wild, multifaceted release full of surprises.
7/10
Self-Tape is out November 10th via Good Fight Music and can be pre-ordered here.