EP Review: Melted Bodies – ‘The Inevitable Fork vol.1’
Posted: by The Editor
Melted Bodies are a band that refuses to be put in a box. Yeah, you could call them “metal” based off their brutal guitar tones and screamed vocals—not to mention the grotesque imagery they use in their album covers and promotional photos. But no, “metal” doesn’t even really begin to cover it.
Their debut album Enjoy Yourself did indeed have elements of thrash and prog metal, but it was just as experimental, combining chugging riffs with icy synthesizers and even the occasional trap beat. The album’s biggest quirk, however, was its sense of humor. Hearing front man Andy Hamm’s nerdcore rapping about “the positive people” in toxic TV Commercials on “Ad People” or screaming as a helpless, brainwashed consumer on “99 Scents” is like listening to Weird Al front Megadeth in a historic, never-before conceived collaboration.
Their newest EP, “The Inevitable Fork, Vol. 1,” continues this streak of wackiness, but with less humor and more drama. Their lyrical themes deal with more self-reflection than critique of society, most evident in the tormented 7-minute title track. A low and doomy trudge is provided by bassist Houda Zakeri and drummer Scott McDonald, laying a groundwork for Hamm to freely shout self-pitying lines like “I find myself hating myself or feeling sorry for myself,” and “no one, in my humble opinion, should have to get used to the feeling or experience of constant and continuous failure” into the abyss. Just when it can’t get any more hopeless, the track morphs into a cloudy and sorrowful keyboard melody, where Hamm gently sings “I’m told it’s now or never, my shadow.“
Even though they’re looking inward, it doesn’t mean they’re going to spend all their time moping around. “Therapy” unleashes hellfire unto its listeners with aggressive punk riffs and distorted vocals spat so fast, its amazing Hamm didn’t keel over from lack of oxygen while recording. All instruments are drenched in grime and layered directly on top of each other taking an unsightly shape, like the pile of raw meat molded into a human head depicted on their last album cover.
The remaining two tracks follow the same punchy delivery but make more direct use of keyboardist Ben Majoy’s talents. The deep bass and synth melody on “Think Safe” help the song’s needling guitar riff transform into more of an uplifting, yet chaotic dance party—like a celebration of the apocalypse for people that are ready for it all to be over.
The thrashy guitar riffs on “Liars” are enhanced by strobing, EDM adjacent synths as well. They lay groundwork for Hamm to take the spotlight on the verse, where he spits tongue in cheek rhymes about stagnancy. As Hamm becomes more manic, the song explodes into the orchestral pre-chorus, where he repeats “I should have told the truth, but I would rather wait until I self-implode.” If Ghost played music that reflected their on-stage get up, it would probably sound something like this. But Melted Bodies don’t need to wear skull makeup and demon masks to be different, they’re plenty weird just being themselves.
Disappointing/Average/Good/Great/Phenomenal
The Inevitable Fork vol.1 is available through Melted Bodies’ Bandcamp.
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Nate Cross | @BigNafey
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