Opening track ‘Lost In Translation’ from Yüth Forever’s new LP ‘Freudian Slip’ slithers over you like a noxious chemical, the metallic, robotic voice delivering a sermon of punishing verse ‘just crushing anxiety that sucks the air right from your lungs and slowly and effectively kills your will to live’. The unease is ramped up by some uniquely threatening electronic sounds and reverberated vocals, a madness inducing white noise that sets the tone for this release.
‘Ugly’ immediately tears into the jugular, Devin declaring his position as a vehement frontman, sonically somewhere between Sikth and Will Haven, but somehow, positively and miraculously, more unsettling than the aforementioned. The song has some industrial grooves akin to Messuggah and the mind boggles at the thought of witnessing this live.
‘Like Father_Like Son’ sees the Illinois noise crew ramp it up, if indeed that seemed possible, the guitars inspiring a sort of hedonistic insanity where perhaps it would be OK to bang the head against a wall over and over again. Devin’s vocals are throaty and raw and are sure to have plaudits going weak at the knees, the bass akin to brown noise, the bowels moving along to the beat.
‘Better Off Alone’ has some dark dissonant samples of a familiar dance tune, juxtaposed aside Devin’s violent screams, a welcome change; perhaps a sign that this dark, metallic hardcore band offer more than just ear bleeding noise.
Rather than make an overly long song, Yüth Forever’s ‘Bitterromantic pt. 1’ and ‘Bitterromantic pt. 2’ provide more of the same initially with the first offering a continuation of the brutal and diligently angular grooves and the simply punishing low end. A breakdown midway ‘no one can hear me, I guess’ would seem ironic as not being able to hear this would seem impossible. The second chapter offers a slight letup, the haunting static, piano and guitar reminiscent of a purer, more innocent sound. In stark contrast the doom ridden bass near the end continues to enhance this band as a noise crew who can produce some of the most unnerving material around.
‘Better Off Dead’ has some similar electronic noise to fellow Illinois boys Slipknot, perhaps the endless miles of corn, or something in the water inspires this catatonic mad house concoction. Whatever it is, it works, and has the listener itching for more.
‘Freudian Slip’ is the most experimental song on the LP of the same name. Some ghostly, old school voices akin to old movie reels are layered on top of Devin’s devilish screams, the backing vocals offering a montage of clever timings and warm sounds. ‘Ketamine’, an aptly named song, offers more of the other-worldly electronics and nerve shredding beat, the guitar sounding like a ramped up, drugged up Flash Gordon sound track.
Final track ‘Alone’ is impossibly heavy, the slugging guitar laying down the torch for others who thought their releases were haunting, dark and heavy. Yüth Forever have reinvented the wheel, and the wheel is unsettling, noisy, madness inspiring and unique. Be afraid, be very afraid.