“Only alone in the outer limits.“
Seattle hardcore punk outfit Filth Is Eternal mark their label debut with MNRK Heavy with the release of their third studio album, Find Out. With production duties laid into the trusted hands of Paul Fig (Slipknot, AFI, Alice In Chains) and recorded in Dave Grohl’s Studio 606, this is a clean and slick record from the quartet. The simple fact that the 14 track collection is under half an hour in duration from cover to cover, tells you immediately that this is going to be the frenetic punk record you expect.
Half Wrong is high energy from the word go and straight off the bat I have a strong appreciation for how bass and percussion forward this track is, with chord progressions that are reminiscent of Knocked Loose in places. It harks back to the old-school punk sound without sounding remotely gratuitous.
A massive rolling bass riff and unrelenting drum fills left right and centre, leave not a moment of dead space in the (intentionally?) ironically named Crawl Space. There’s a brief guitar interlude at the end, that I wish had been longer, as it really lifted the track to a greater height giving another texture among the massive sound from drummer Emily Salisbury and bassist Rahsaan Davis.
Magnetic Point and Cherish get a little lost, perhaps because of their similarly short run times and construction to Crawl Space. Roll Critical brings a little more of a groove and a less frenetic tempo, although I cannot say it differs markedly from its predecessors. Again, the guitar work right at the end is brilliant although even more of a brief ‘nod’ than in Crawl Space, a theme that will remain through Pressure Me. As aforementioned this really could be utilised better and would go a long way to elevate this work by offering another texture. Curious Thing and Into The Curve, whilst undeniably being rage-inducing anthems, leave a similar taste and a prayer being said for ‘more’, something, anything to offer a slight variation. However, if Salisbury was the sole focus point, this would be a serious winner so far. Her talent is so very evident throughout this record with every opportunity to display the versatility of percussion used to the nth degree.
Body Void is a highlight, my prayers were answered and the guitar is used as more than a footnote. As predicted, this really elevates the track giving another dimension and much yearned for additional texture. This seems to be the turning point with the intro for The Gate teasing a different direction and indeed that is delivered. Lis Di Angelo explores their vocal range further here bringing a new dynamic to the fore and again guitarist Brian McClelland has been remembered. As a result, this is hands down the most cohesive track on this record so far and the winner for me. Fortunately, this recipe is continued throughout Signal Decay and All Mother, with the latter working as a middle ground between the two formats and styles featured in this collection. This acts as a bridge before bringing things ‘full circle’ with full blown chaos in Last Exit, featuring a stank-face inducing bass line, before finishing with grunge filled closer Loveless. Having had a much-needed change of pace I’m more than happy to return to the former of the two recipes for dessert.
Whether the track listing was purposefully created as a largely 50/50 split or not isn’t a question I can answer. However, to my ear, offering something a little ‘more’ before track nine would’ve increased my enjoyment and satisfaction from this record. If what your heart desires is a solid roaring post punk record, this is the one for you. It delivers on its promise and gets the job done. The latter half of the album, as alluded to above, is not only a much-needed breather from the chaos of the first half but a small glimpse into what Filth Is Eternal can do when they utilise each member in a more cohesive manner. It’s a path I hope they continue to explore as they find their sound. When that formula is put into practice there is truly some gold produced.
6/10
Find Out is out now via MNRK records.