The Austerity Program have, with this six song record, dropped whatever balance had been holding them together. Each song is based on a passage from the Old Testament, dredging up some of the least-friendly moments from God, Moses and the gang. The band’s treatment of the subject is more paranoid and intense than they’ve ever been.
The music matches the scale of the horrors from the text. “2 Kings 25:1–7” revisits the story of Zedekiah’s torture and fall in the desert, this time accompanied with a shreiking guitar, panzer division bass and a drum machine set to “liquify” at well past 150 bpm.
The moments that are not as densely bombastic opt instead for tightening tension. “Numbers 31:13–18” visits the sanctioned genocide of the Midians at the hands of the Israelites, with a healthy side order of child abduction and rape. The song tightens like a noose before fully ripping off the rails into a detuned disaster.
Look, I’m in this band and I’m not totally comfortable with this whole project. The record is dark.
Track Listing :
1. Isaiah 63:2-6
2. Ezekiel 39:17-20
3. 2 Kings 25:1-7
4. Numbers 31:13-18
5. Ezekiel 23:31-35
6. Samuel 6:12-23
All LPs are sent in robust vinyl mailers to avoid any cosmetic damage during transit, but note that the store isn't responsible for seam splits, bent corners and potential sound issues.
Category: The Austerity Program, Vinyl