Release Date: April 12th 2024. Record Label: Pelagic Records. Formats: CD/DD/Vinyl
TRVE - Tracklisting
1. Fucking Snakes
2. Test26
3. Trapped For Life
4. Body Probe
5. Canopy
6. Broken Code
7. Carbonic Beast
8. Autism Factor
9. Hollywood Story
10. Mask
Review
French Sludge Metallers Love Sex Machine return after an eight year absence with TRVE which is perhaps their bleakest and heaviest album to date. The record is powered by harsh Black Metallic grooves and a subtle Industrial Metal undergroove with the band navigating themselves around the heavier complexities of Progressive Sludge Metal.
Love Sex Machine pull no punches with this album and the effect is almost instant with the brutal opening track Fucking Snakes which sees the band in a destructive mindset with the extreme Sludge Metal sounds and violent vocals to match. There’s a technical Prog Metal ability being played on the album where Love Sex Machine perhaps influenced by bands such as MESHUGGAH with Psychedelic Ambient movements being added along the way.
The album keeps the punishing grooves and heavy post-metallic sounds coming at an impressive rate on tracks such as Test26, Trapped For Life and Body Probe which sees Love Sex Machine unleash waves of aggressive sounding and technically impressive slices of harsh Sludge Metal and classic Post-Metal with the bleak overtones of bands such as EYEHATEGOD and Neurosis. Though the main thing that makes Love Sex Machine such a dangerous band is their lyrics which can be quite controversial in places but matches the overall sound of the bands creative vision for TRVE.
TRVE does become more Industrial and Psychedelic based on the later stages with Ambient sounds and glitch based noises with Love Sex Machine becoming a bit more daring with their music with nods to bands such as Godflesh, Ministry and NIN. The socially aware lyrics perhaps have been written to cause anger, discussion and controversy though the band have delivered this style of music with their previous two albums.
The record becomes more daring and experimental on the second half with tracks such as Canopy, Broken Code, Autism Factor and Mask. The whole album takes a few more daring and shocking turns along the way with Love Sex Machine providing an endless array of FEARLESS Sludge, Doom and Post-Metal instrumental sounds which allows TRVE to take the listener on a powerfully violent and chaotic journey that is quite breathtaking to hear.
Love Sex Machine have delivered the goods with TRVE and it’s most definitely been worth the long wait.
Words by Steve Howe
Thanks to Pelagic Records for the promo.
TRVE will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl via Pelagic Records from Friday 12th April 2024.
Links
Facebook | BandCamp | Instagram
