Review: Foreign Body ‘Libertine’
This is another new band for me to explore, and their album focuses on the levels of darkness that every one of us has. It’s an intriguing fusion of explosive punk, turning their attention to the hatred of modern society. They are Foreign Body, they hail from New York – a city of 24/7 hustle and bustle – and they represent its neglected underbelly
The quartet, who met at Fordham University in 2022, get straight down to business as they open with Strung Out – a short sonic blast of menacing intent as singer/saxophonist Hugh Potter, who was ill for the entire recording, lets rip. The frontman tells us that Libertine is a concept album and ‘a nod to turn of the century French realist authors who looked at and were unafraid of shying away at the reality of life’. They explore further on White Lord Of Hell as they ridicule ‘complicated relationships’ with a hypnotic song, driven by a raucous noise from guitarist Nikolai Kapetan.
They aren’t shying away from anything here as their sardonic music is experimental harsh noise combined with an anti-establishment punk attitude. Passed Around continues in that vein, before Hind Legs slows things down somewhat, but the snarling is still there, on top of a fuzzy guitar tone. This collection of songs has that filthy, nihilistic streak running through it, with a sinister social commentary and Trophy well and truly represents where the band are currently at.
their sardonic music is experimental harsh noise combined with an anti-establishment punk attitude…
The band comment that the lyrics are based on tales of ‘surrounding inadequacy, sexual repression and the criminal instinct that can follow’ and, in parts, it makes you feel uneasy and dirty, which is its purpose. It flows into When Sex is not Enough – a steaming, vicious onslaught of groove centred around the male obsession with pornography and is my favourite track. The following Man Was Meant To Take Advantage is not for the faint-hearted, as the drums and bass, from Collin Melazzo and Thomas Koenig respectively, pound away at your skull, forcing you into submission as they take you deeper inside their depraved world.
Born For This has more of a rhythm to it, yet doesn’t deviate far from the single-minded approach to their music. I can only imagine what they must be like live, all frothy-mouthed and frenzied in the most confrontational of manners. They go back to a slower tempo on the title track, Libertines, which is a great number, dripping with riffs and rhythm, but the cleaner vocal works well against the background noise, before it all ends with Beauty Is A Hammer. It doffs its cap to Pasolini’s Salò o le 120 giornate di sodoma (yeah, me neither), which, according to the quartet, looks at the wealthiest people’s ‘capacity to act upon their desires to the fullest context’, a fitting conclusion.
Label: Brutal Panda Records
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Matthew Williams
