Upon reflection of that fateful trip to find the American Dream in savage Las Vegas, Hunter S. Thompson reflected: “No sympathy for the devil; keep that in mind. Buy the ticket, take the ride.” This same ethos that gained Thompson such notoriety and fame informs Spirit of the Beehive’s latest album Entertainment, Death. Its swirling, hypnotic sound might draw the mind to flashing neon lights and bad decisions, a product of the trio’s newly unleashed creative control. They recorded and produced this album in its entirety, giving new “incentive to experiment,” according to the band.
Initially, the cover art designed by bassist and vocalist Rivka Ravede invites the listener into a deranged carnival, providing clear context to the album’s title. From the opening track, a blast of cacophonous noise pulls back the curtain before giving way to a dreamy guitar line and Zack Schwartz doing his best to appear disinterested:
I regret some choices I’ve made
Entertainment only remains, while I keep descending
Thus sets the tone – like Alex G’s House of Sugar if it was chopped and screwed, set aflame, then unceremoniously tossed from a balcony and heard in passing on the way down. The album is subject to sudden thematic and sonic shifts, yet still maintains a sense of terror throughout. At the album’s midsection, both vocalists take a moment to breathe and ask at once:
Is the hole we make devouring us? The clear answer shines through the darkness: it already has.
Crushing by design, things don’t let up down the stretch. Buoyed by strong, visceral imagery through full use of the available soundscape, Entertainment, Death brings the ride to its natural end:
No money left to spend
No one to spend it on
I know you feel it, it’s hard to
It’s all different now
In summary, the end is the beginning – entertainment and death are concurrent, and entirely a result of one’s own agency. The horror show is internally driven, and you’re able to get off at any time – you just choose not to.
If there’s any detraction to the whirlwind, it’s that the songs lack clear definition. Section of the album feature songs that blend together, unrecognizable from one another at first. Additionally some transitions are unfortunately clunky, like “It Might Take Some Time”, which segues sloppily into “Wake Up (In Rotation)”. While jarring transitions have their place in the album, times like these take the listener out of the journey unceremoniously. Though arguably a necessary evil given the theme, these elements still serve to raise the barrier to entry.
With that being said, the album writhes with enough gusto to raise the dead. Given the wheel, The Spirit of The Beehive takes a left turn into certified madness. A worthy exploration of sin, the album personifies the guilt that comes with constant need for entertainment and distraction. Ultimately, the programmed ride results in the band’s most complete album to date.
8.5/10