Corrections House – Hoax The System EP (War Crime Recordings)
Corrections House is a self-described “end times collaboration.” Their logo is a striking design that looks like it’s part geometric Japanese calligraphy and part cave glyph painted on the wall by a future sewer dweller. They are also a supergroup consisting of Scott Kelly (Neurosis) on guitar, Mike IX (Eyehategod) on vocals, Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) on sax/vocals, and Sanford Parker (Minsk, Nachtmystium) on drum machine and samples. This two track 7 inch is their debut release.
Corrections House – Hoax The System EP (War Crime Recordings)
Corrections House is a self-described “end times collaboration.” Their logo is a striking design that looks like it’s part geometric Japanese calligraphy and part cave glyph painted on the wall by a future sewer dweller. They are also a supergroup consisting of Scott Kelly (Neurosis) on guitar, Mike IX (Eyehategod) on vocals, Bruce Lamont (Yakuza) on sax/vocals, and Sanford Parker (Minsk, Nachtmystium) on drum machine and samples. This two track 7 inch is their debut release. With this collection of elements, I thought the music would be a completely organic amalgamation of slow burn peaks and valleys with mammoth fucking riffs and weird poetry. Well, I was both right and wrong.
Side A sees “Hoax The System” start off with some metallic sitar sounds (or overhead power transformer?) that melt into a synth-like drone. Quickly a simple pulsating beat drops in (thud thud thud) and gets me feeling energetic. About halfway through, it breaks into a rhythm reminiscent of Pailhead–a short-lived late 80s collaboration between Al Jourgensen of Ministry and Ian McKaye of Fugazi.
On side B is “Grin With A Purpose.” It comes on like the Terminator 2 score. The T1000 is breathing down your neck. Owing to Sanford Parker’s influence from Minsk, there is a tribal-esque build up throughout, but with an industrial backdrop. A static drone filters in that could be a synth or Bruce Lamont’s sax with heavy distortion. The “end times collaboration” description seems accurate based on this song’s lyrics. The vocals build like an orgasming Baptist preacher frothing at the mouth in front of his congregation. Mike IX is the perfect poet for an apocalyptic gutter philosophy. The whole thing feels weirdly uplifting.
There are some of the ingredients of the members’ bands present, but there is an industrial approach I didn’t anticipate. It sounds as if the impending holocaust of all life is being narrated by a megaphone-carrying orator that has already seen plenty of misery. I hope this wasn’t a one off and that they continue to preach the end time message. We could all do with some more of it. And by the way, check out the video for “Hoax The System” right here:
