Release Date: May 26th 2023. Record Label: Svart Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
Supercluster: Tracklisting
Thoughts And Prayers (Mean Nothing)
Reality Crash
Rot
Total Protonic Reversal
Bring Home The Motherlode, Barry
Hellbent On Happiness
The Dead Drop
Army Of Me
Members
Andy Cairns
Jason Stoll
Wayne Adams
Adam Betts
Review
Supercluster is the debut album from Industrial Metal/Noise/Psych Rockers JAAW and they can be classed as a supergroup of sorts. JAAW features Andy Cairns (Therapy), Jason Stoll (Mugstar), Wayne Adams (Death Pedals) and Adam Betts (Trapped Tigers, Squarepusher) within their ranks. The band are primarily influenced by bands such as Godflesh and Ministry but play a variety of different hooks, grooves, sounds and heavy riffs. Throw in elements of aggressive Sludge Rock, Doom Metal and Stoner Rock then JAAW are a different kind of Industrial Metal band.
Opening song Thoughts And Prayers (Mean Nothing) isn't the strongest track on the album but it's powerfully addictive with its blend of aggressive and fast paced Noise Rock and Industrial sounding Techno beats. Reminding me of The Mad Capsule Markets in places. The song picks up towards the middle when JAAW play a warped style of Psych Rock with AMPLIFIER DISTORTION creeping in. Andy's vocals are prominent as ever and he feels energetic and essential from his early days with Therapy.
Second song Reality Crash is where JAAW quickly find their Creative groove and start impressing with their Riff Based and Anthemic Rock. Psychedelic Noises and Glitches work surprisingly well with a more DOOM orientated effort with a track reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails and perhaps from their WITH TEETH era. The heavy Industrial themes are given a more GLOOMY makeover with JAAW bringing a mechanical sense to the Doom Metal genre this track can easily fit into. JAAW experiment more with their Industrial beats and this leads to sublime extended Noise Rock based jams. The vocals are chaotic, measured and fully assured from start to finish.
Third song Rot has been receiving plenty of positive feedback lately and it's not hard to see why. As JAAW bring a sense of bleak dystopia that merges into heavier areas of Sludge/Stoner Rock with the premise still being one of Industrial Metal and Nightmarish beats. The vocals are more chilling in places but the subtle Psychedelic moments allows JAAW to bring a refreshing blend of Noise Rock fused Industrial Metal to the album. The lyrics have a real life quality to them which allows the song to be more DOOM based than you would initially expect. However, it's the SONIC experimentation that JAAW use for this track allow this to be one of the standout tracks on the album.
Fourth song Total Protonic Reversal goes further down the Industrial Metal Rabbit Hole with echoes of Mechanical Noises and Synths. Distorted guitars have a more Psychedelic Feel with the music allowing the vocals to be further in the background for the earlier parts of the track. JAAW return with a highly anthemic 90's Alt Rock/Metal approach to this track with the song being helped along by GLOOMY Sludgy Sounds which have an almost Post-Punk or Post-Metal energy to them.
Fifth song Bring Home The Motherlode, Barry - is the most interesting track on the album. As JAAW play for almost nine minutes on this track. The creative themes once again float around the different genres JAAW adapt for this track. Sludge, Doom, Noise Rock, Psych Rock and a disturbing Stoner feel soon transcends into a dark style of Progressive music. This allows JAAW to further experiment with their sound yet again. Andy's vocals are heavily digitised in places but they're easy to understand with the band perhaps fuelled by Modern Day Paranoia yet again. This is my favourite track off the album as JAAW create their own blend of Sludge fuelled Industrial Rock/Metal with a mighty fine sideline in aggression and melody.
The final three tracks Hellbent On Happiness, The Dead Drop and Army Of Me (Yes, they've included a cover of the Bjork classic track) sees JAAW continue their dark journey into the Industrial Rock/Metal abyss with the focus equally spread across experimentation and playing sublime grooves that convey a more Post-Doom feeling especially on Hellbent On Happiness and The Dead Drop. Their cover of Bjork classic Army Of Me is a dark and inspiring take which is quite different from the original which you would expect from a first rate Psychedelic/Industrial Metal group such as JAAW.
Supercluster is an absolute marvel to listen to. The album is one of the darkest examples of Psych Metal and Industrial Metal I've heard in quite some time. However, JAAW impresses even further with their fresh style of unique sounding grooves and riffs which the album is full of.
This allows Supercluster to be an Album Of The Year contender.
Words by Steve Howe
Supercluster will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Svart Records from Friday May 26th 2023.
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