When Code Orange Kids, as they were then known, released the epic ‘Love Is Love//Return To Dust’ in 2012, the world of heavy music was turned upside down. Their debut album was a complex beast that propelled them from ‘just another hardcore band’ to an entity of their own, and gained them a cult following with praise from fans and critics alike. Less than two years after the release of ‘Love Is Love…’ a strange symbol started to appear on the bands various social media outlets of a panther’s head with the words “King 2014” underneath it. This, along with their bizarre ‘Thinners Of The Herd’ website, was the start of the new era of Code Orange, as they embarked on a clever viral marketing campaign while spawning their incredible sophomore record ‘I Am King’. The album was produced by Converge guitarist, and all round super producer, Kurt Ballou, and once again released on Jacob Bannon’s superb label Deathwish Inc. It would be no understatement to say that this may well be one of the most intense listens that the label has ever put out, and future releases are going to have a tough act to follow.
This is no album for the faint of heart, and not just something to slam around a mosh pit too. This is an album to get completely lost in, as it suffocates you by pulling you into the twisted world of Code Orange from the opening title track. An unrelenting mix of metal and hardcore that sets the dark tone for the next 30 minutes of cacophony, straight into ‘Slowburn’ which does what it says on the tin with its slow, doom-esque riffs. This is followed by recently released ‘Dreams In Inertia’ which shows a more experimental side to Code Orange, as they weld together Sonic Youth style alt-rock with thunderous hardcore riffs. The band have taken elements from 90’s metalcore bands such as Prayer For Cleansing, Buried Alive and Turmoil in places and given it a modern spin so as not to sound like anything from the past, predominantly on ‘Unclean Spirit’ which picks up the pace of the album, then they slow it down again with breakdown after breakdown on ‘Alone In A Room’.
The stand out thing from ‘I Am King’ is the duel vocal onslaught by guitarist Reba Meyers, and drummer Jami Morgan. While both sounding just as vicious as one another on the heavier parts, the use of Reba’s clean tone on the more mellow moments. What Code Orange have also done brilliantly is take the heavier parts from their past, and made them heavier, and the softer more serene moments even more enchanting. The stunning ‘Your Body Is Ready..’ showcases these elements the most, as it it twists and turns through ambient sections to gritty and distorted riffs. All carried by Reba’s quiet/loud dynamic vocal delivery. As the album begins to draw to a close ‘Bind You’ and ‘Mercy’ mess with your head one final time, with their off-kilter time changes, and some of the heaviest riffs on the album, once again dropping into dark melodic sections, yet remaining cohesive and never sounding messy.
As mentioned at the start while speaking about the strange marketing behind ‘I Am King’, many of the posts on social media sites used the phrase “No Boxes, No Boundaries, No Fear”. Those words could not ring truer with Code Orange. This is one of the most unorthodox, unconventional, and against the grain albums to be released in its genre. It is a breathtaking masterpiece that will leave your jaw on the floor after every listen. Welcome, to not only the new era of Code Orange, but the new era of aggressive music.
GLEN BUSHELL