Earlier today, Code Orange surprised us with a new three song EP entitled "The Hurt Will Go On" and I gotta say I'm way more impressed with this than I was with the previous full length. Normally I only do these type of reviews for friends and locals, but this release I felt deserved my attention.
Now when it comes to Code Orange, I will say "I Am King" was a spectacular release that really shed the previous Code Orange Kids era AKA Trash Talk meets Converge sound that personally I enjoyed more, however the LP showed more potential towards a heavier Disembodied influence that was a good change of pace. I've seen the band perform countless times under both names and it got to the point where I felt I've seen them enough. The release of "Forever" presented a more mainstream approach still maintaining the metalcore sound but introducing both industrial and alternative metal influences, that I thought could go way better than it did but I can't deny the LP did have its bops.
Now this new EP, why am I so impressed? Well Code Orange managed industrial stuff further and perfected it. Let's start with that first track, "3 Knives". Its really powerful and aggressive with some old school metalcore riffs and I gotta say the breakdown is just plain classic. The industrial parts are not subtle, in fact its straight up in your ear and emphasized. What they do differently is use it chaotically, like you can almost feel reality break like glass. Its not like Ministry or Skinny Puppy industrial but more like mathcore riffs if they were filtered through tv static. They even manged to fit the samples in violently and fade out with it well to make it sound like they want the music to be terrifying, kinda like what grindcore bands would do.
Now lets address the elephant in the room. Most of us probably saw the words: "New Code Orange song featuring Corey Taylor of Slipknot" and immediately checked it out never expecting something this to happen. Well out of curiosity I had to check out the song entitled: "The Hunt". As soon as I finished it, I said out loud: "Paul Cronin just rolled in his grave". When it started, I was afraid it was another "Bleeding In the Blur" but it quickly progressed into something way better. All throughout the song you hear: industrial, hardcore punk, alt. metal, and some rocking riffage. Again the elctronics are emphasized but mixed well with the song, then the ending breakdown is like a chaotic glitch that actually will make you question if your media device is starting to break. Corey Taylor's part isn't obnoxious and just makes you think "This is insane", it just blows my mind that I saw these guys when they first started and they ended up making a song with him.
The last song is a remix of the song: "The Hurt Goes on" and is the titled track of the EP. Now this song along with the original is a straight up industrial interlude track, nothing else. Its tough to really review a remixed track, but the previous song fades right into it, and is a good outro to the release. The sample in the song is made to sound more demonic, the drums sound tribal, and with the electronics, and straight up sounds like the ending to a horror movie with no happy ending just before the credits roll and you just see a black screen. Towards the end, you can hear Jamie's vocals more muffled and vicious. Not sure what Code Orange were going for, but this song, despite being an interlude, could easily make it in a horror movie soundtrack.
I'm not one to really do a x/10 rating and I'm not gonna do one for this. If you are a fan of Code Orange's new sound, then you will love this release. If you are like me and was set off a bit from the previous release, trust me this one is a step up continuing with the industrial sound. "The Hurt Will Go On" gets Bill's Rock 'n' Roll Stamp of Approval. Send me your feedback lets get a discussion going and get a part two to see everyone's opinion.
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