The genre of noise rock enjoys a joyful sense of fluidity. Its blend of punk, industrial, and experimental music combined with dissonance and abrasion allow the genre to thrive in a state of unpredictability. As per the lack of a rules based order, unconventional rhythms and chaos can also sit side-by-side with evolving soundscapes of structure and composition. Within the vague boundaries of the genre, this is where Soot sit most comfortably on their southern-tinged second full length album, Wearing a Wire.
These Nashvillian noise rockers are a group who wear their influences on their sleeve. Hints of southern metal run through the veins of this record, but more prevalent are the noisier inspirations; Big Black, The Jesus Lizard, Daughters and a helping of late era Swans. All of which lend a hand in scoring a journey along Interstate 20 from Texas to Tennessee, and the conduct that unfolds throughout the trip. The narratorial element of the concept cleverly hinted at in the album title.
VIEW THE DEFINITIVE LIST OF BEST LIVE ALBUMS BY SWANS
The album opens with ‘Ogre’, immediately immersing the listener in Soot’s sound at its most despondent. The track is driven by pummeling percussion and chugging riffs, while metallic bass tones, reminiscent of Shellac’s choice of a ‘metallic’ plectrum, push the song into and out of a cleaner middle section, comparable to the lower end of post-hardcore. Serving as a kind of primer, ‘Ogre’ sets the tone for the album’s oscillation between crushing intensity and brief moments of clarity, as if in preparation for the emotional highs and lows that Wearing a Wire is prone to.
The next track, ‘Mr. Tennessee,’ shifts focus from heaviness to atmosphere as it paints an evocative portrait of its protagonist, a possible war veteran, through vivid descriptions of his personal demeanour. Following this, ‘Headtruck’ launches the album back into sonic intensity, blending chaotic, frenetic moments with a poetic narration of surrounding landscape, its moments like these on the album where the contrast between storytelling and raw musical aggression is at its most stark.
The next set of tracks further leverage the range of sonic contrasts endemic to the record. ‘Same Person’ drifts through a dreamy haze, offering a moment of calm before the tension returns with ‘Menthol’, one of the more Daughters-inspired tracks. It slowly builds in antagonism, culminating in a dramatic peak of industrial percussion. The shifting dynamics, atmospheric build-ups and explosive releases carrying the listener deeper into unpredictable territory.
‘Fire Ants’ once again blasts the listener with a barrage of aggression. Screams and apocalyptic riffs surge with the spirit of chugging metal intensity. A moment of southern folk provides a sense of calm before leading into the album’s closer, ‘Hands’. This final track feeling like a concoction of every element found on disc one of Swans’ ‘To Be Kind’.
Wearing a Wire showcases impressive songwriting and musicianship for a genre often defined by its chaos. All of which is conveyed through crisp production and a strong commitment to execution. While Wearing a Wire isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, it will likely resonate with fans of Daughters, late-era Swans, and The Jesus Lizard, to name a few.
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