“You are the only thing that I have left to live for.“
Downtempo is a genre that hasn’t seen much love recently. A lot of the sound’s heavy-hitters either called it a day or fizzled out, leaving a void in their absence. SkinSewnShut, yet another new project containing members of Killing Of A Sacred Deer/Abrupt Decay/False Body, is set on filling that void, bringing an altogether new yet familiar approach to the genre.
Masterminded by Grant Matthews, SkinSewnShut‘s debut EP, …To Quell This Agony, is a sonic mess in every sense of its being. Put bluntly, it should not work, but it does… Taking inspiration from bands such as Villains/Yüth Forever, Darke Complex, and Sworn In, SkinSewnShut is bound to strike a chord amongst fans of the genre, who’ve been patiently waiting for a new titan to enter the space. The project is frenetic, zany, and loud, leaving very little room to breathe throughout its duration. What sets SkinSewnShut apart from its predecessors is the vocals. Whilst clearly inspired by those who came before, SkinSewnShut is far from derivative; in fact, it innovates on existing styles, offering up new implementations and approaches, and allowing …To Quell This Agony to stand up as a wholly new take on the genre.
From the beginning of “XSS” to the end of “Never The Rule“, Matthews‘ vocals consistently create an air of unease, luring you in but never quite feeling familiar. This vocal style is something of a signature for Matthews now, allowing him to make any track feel immediately more frenzied and chaotic simply with his presence. With that said, there is a measure of restraint here, with a conscious effort to hold back when needed, only to double down on the chaos in specific moments, working in harmony with the instrumentals to feel all the more oppressive and messy.
In a little under 15 minutes, SkinSewnShut demonstrates mastery of discord, with glitchy guitar rhythms, chugging grooves, and thumping drums being ever-present throughout. “Skin Debit” is perhaps the strongest example of this, managing to squeeze in a multitude of sounds into a single track. It’s laboured and intense, all the while being chaotic and frantic. Driven forward by siren-like guitars, “Skin Debit” is a mental breakdown put to song, descending further and further into chaos as it progresses, and concluding with nothing but a frenzied scream. “God Alone“, on the other hand, is a menacing epic, with Matthews‘ vocals taking centre stage, and the instrumentals acting as a low-rumble keeping things moving. Layered vocals and alternating screams only go to emphasise the fury here, before breaking out into a two-step section that’ll have even your most prolific hardcore acts jealous that they didn’t come up with it.
Put simply, …To Quell This Agony is a breath of fresh air in a once-forgotten genre. Building upon the foundations of those who came before, SkinSewnShut demonstrates an understanding of the style which far exceeds their own experience with the sound. Truly showing that they’re capable of anything, this is yet another gem in their crown, and another stellar entry into the ever-growing list of fantastic Canadian bands. If downtempo is your thing and you’ve been waiting for somebody to finally bring things back to how they once were, then your wait is finally over. SkinSewnShut are here, and they’re here to stay.
