There is going to be a lot of people listening to this one. Code Orange have managed to take the metal world, scooped within their hands and begun to smash it against the firmest wall possible. Their rise from ‘just’ another hardcore band, to the augmenting metallic outfit (go google what they wore to the Grammy’s in 2018) that are a threatening to become a leading face in the genre for 2020 and beyond.
In honesty, I have never been interested to delve further with their releases in the bands current incarnation (2014’s I Am King’ and 2017’s ‘Forever’), but the impression half way through, is this band are very much complete in their objective to what they want to make. ‘Underneath’ will most likely make many if not every heavy metal publications top ten. ‘Cold.Metal.Place’, ‘Last Ones Left’ and ‘You and You Alone’ are what stood out to begin with. But it took a few rounds to realise what I am listening too. It also makes sense now why they’re on RoadRunner Records.
At first the slight deviations they use to distort aspects of guitars and songs disrupted my concentration. I’ve now found it blends well to whole album, that it’s part of their guise. Therefore, I can understand why they’re on RR records. This is a quintessential RoadRunner release and they knew that they signed a band that would release an album that will sit next to the greats of the past 30 years.
‘Underneath’ is a complete monster. It will be the forefront of the take over by Code Orange. It’s an unrelenting beat of fury, precision and musical ability. The song ‘Back Inside the Glass’ could scare the hell out of Slipknot! Any era you choose. ‘Underneath’ will break through anything Code Orange previously hadn’t with ‘Forever’. As I said, there is going to be a lot of people listening to this one. For the right reasons.
Code Orange: Underneath – Out Now (RoadRunner)
