“I said that everything would be okay but that’s a lie.”
Are you a Scooby Doo villain? Have you been looking for a soundtrack to your off-screen self-improvement, or X-rated, activities? Today, Melted Bodies follow up their 2020 self-titled LP with a 4-track EP titled The Inevitable Fork, Vol. 1. They play a brand of heavy metal that is unmistakably zany and grotesque. The deranged nature of their music not so unbounded that you won’t find it fun and accessible, though.
Melted Bodies pull off the keyboard-guitar combination with uncommon success, particularly because neither is going too hard at any one time. The keys change sound in a churning carousel of textures that would typically be inappropriate for a “cool” rock band. The guitars are a touch less heavy than on their self-titled, a good production decision that brings the band into a more interesting genre territory whilst being no less intense. To round off the bottom end, the bass has a scrumptious crunch to it.
The vocals are surely the most distinctive element – a sardonic mix of Primus, Mr Bungle, and System of a Down. Although the delivery is highly tongue-in-‘whatever the hell is on the album cover’, there’s some grits of truth in here. Lyrics like “Why does it feel like I scream just to feel good” coming from a harsh vocalist may well be a chaise longue confession.
The EP begins with “The Inevitable Fork”, channelling prog in its well-earned 7-minute runtime. The panicked verses cut starkly into vulnerable, piano led choruses that which get a mighty conclusion in the last two minutes. When the guitars finally reprise the chorus melody, it’s extremely satisfying. The other track I find particularly strong is “Liars”, a reel of catchy vocal melodies and guitar riffage that feels like an instant classic for the band, and should be on any 2022 playlist that intends to say “fuck you” and “let’s rock”.
The other two songs, “Think Safe” and “Therapy”, are plenty compelling, shooting a little less straight in terms of structure. “Therapy” has an extensive bridge section that meanders between awkward samples and tense synths. Throughout the EP the music is wild, but the mix is reasonably conventional, plenty detailed, and delicate in how it transfers one’s attention between the different instruments. It’s a clear upgrade on their previous recordings.
This record is one of three upcoming EPs that will form the full-length album The Inevitable Fork. The album cover looks like something “that weirdo who is still inexplicably on the group-chat” would post at 4 am on a Tuesday. Suffice to say I couldn’t look at it for long, which is a compliment compared to their 2020 LP’s nightmare fuel-artwork. The pace of The Inevitable Fork, Vol. 1 is somewhat askew as the tracks get significantly shorter as one progresses, and there is a questionable pause at the end of “Liars,” though these are just minor details that will likely work better on the full album. Here’s hoping the next two EPs ooze towards us at an appropriate speed.
7.5/10
The Inevitable Fork, Vol. 1 is due for release on November 25th, and you can pre-order the record here.