NAILBREAKER - SPECTRUM SONGS

Noise-hop is a bit of an odd genre and one that I have stayed outside of for the longest time but its unconventional raw tactics and brutally dense experimental subsets fits the genre right within the underground electronic scene. Thus, with the one year anniversary of NAILBREAKER's "Spectrum Songs" having just passed two days ago I thought it was high time I gave a stab at the genre. NAILBREAKER is a relatively new producer having released their debut single 'Shawn Michaels Circa 1999' back in 2018. The producer continued their stream of single with 'Why I Left Buzzfeed' in October of 2018 and 'Friday Aesthetics' in February of 2019. 

March 2019 saw the release of their EP "Spectrum Songs"; self-funded and independently released, the EP went on to sell out of the initial cassette run. July 2019 saw the release of their single 'Marie Kondo' which was followed up by a thirteen-and-a-half minute megamix titled "I Forgot How to Learn". However, the anniversary of "Spectrum Songs" brings back the EP this time through the Seattle, Washington based record label Vertex. Seeing both the potential and the fun of NAILBREAKER, Vertex has re-released the EP in both digital and cassette formats including two bonus tracks attached.



My experience with NAILBREAKER has been a bit of a mixed bag on this EP; though my comments will focus around mostly positive statements, there are some odd choices on the album that I can't quite make out. But I do wish to start with the positive aspects of NAILBREAKER rather than tearing straight into the downsides. First of all if you're part of the 90% of the industrial community that has fallen head over heels for Street Sects in the past couple of years, then you're going to find both songs '@nailbreaker_' and 'Private Account' to be satisfying. They are gut-wrenching, thrash-electronic journies through tormented synthesizer landscapes. They will have you wanting to throw a chair out a window bashing whatever poor soul so happens to be below on the noggin and sending them to an unpleasant evening in the ER. 

'Friday Aesthetics' is my favorite song on the entirety of the EP; a concussive machine rhythm begins off the song with static bass drops until NAILBREAKER's hard, deep voice and angry disposition dominate the rest of the song. I came back to this one multiple times over the course of my drive to and from work; it's brilliant. In contrast, the follow up song to this one 'My Plans To Gentrify Solvent Abuse' is a lo-fi, satirical drive on the modern day influencer scene. NAILBREAKER's lyrics read, "I want you to think I'm miserable / if you want me to be miserable / please read my brand new book / it's all about how I am miserable". It takes a good look at what people obsess over and how it can effect the mental health of those who they worship and the worshippers themselves; then again perhaps I'm looking too deep into the song. Nonetheless, art is subjective and this is what I've taken from it. 

Then, of course, I have to discuss the odd choices on "Spectrum Songs" as mentioned above. The intro track 'Randal' begins off quite well with relaxing and intriguing synths taking over. However, a quote from the movie Clerks reads out as a conversation between the two protagonists Randal and Dante occurs. I just thought that the sample was an unnecessary input on the intro which could have been an otherwise short but great piece. The last track on the album, '61 Heron Court Road', should only be played if you absolutely hate your speaker system and headphones and want them to be destroyed in an abominable fire; it's nothing but a minute-and-a-half of static noise cranked on high possibly to disturb and torture the inmates of Guantanamo Bay. The two alternate mixes of the previously mentioned songs 'Shawn Michaels Circa 1999' and 'Marie Kondo' aren't terrible but do not hold a candle to anything between the intro and conclusion on "Spectrum Songs". Nonetheless, those two don't really impact my opinion on the EP considering they're just kind of tacked on and considered bonus tracks. 

So, there we have it. NAILBREAKER is a very talented producer and fits right at home on Vertex. I'm glad that the label's knack for finding personnel is no longer landlocked to the USA but now extends across the bay with a disgusting, rusted, robotic hand. Luckily, the claw machine like grip locked onto NAILBREAKER and hopefully they'll get some new fans. I could see NAILBREAKER rising higher to prominence if they were to home in on absolutes rather than trying to throw in ridiculous songs such as the concluding track, but that's my opinion. Nonetheless this is highly recommended. 
Mar 25 2020