Heavy Song of the Week is a feature from Heavy Consequence that looks at the best metal, punk, and hard rock songs you should listen to every Friday. This week, the honor goes to Fort Worth's Trauma Ray for his song “Bishop.”
Shoegaze has become such a generic term that it’s hard to extract much from it beyond its inherent connotations of “lackluster, reverberant, and possibly noisy-sounding electric guitars.” For example, it simply doesn’t convey the atmospheric nature of Fort Worth’s Trauma Ray, often described as a shoegaze band.
On the group's excellent new song, “Bishop,” there are certainly walls of washed-out guitar, but the aggression and muscle behind the performance is more in line with hardcore. The harder side of the band like Hum and Deftones comes to mind, but Trauma Ray is certainly not metal, and the texture, high The song’s mood suggests more experimental leanings. This is further emphasized by a vague, distant vocal that evokes a sense of nostalgia while giving more space to the instrumentation.
It's a fascinating song, both conceptually and production-wise, from one of the most adventurous bands under the oversaturated umbrella of modern shoegaze.
Honorable mentions:
Dale Crover – “Spoiled Daisies (with Ty Segall)”
We love the Melvins' various solo projects. Drummer Dale Crover has been quietly recording albums under his own name since 2017's album. The capricious finger of fate —despite his previous Melvins solo EP “KISS”—and is about to release his third in that span, Glossolaliain September. The album is packed with guest appearances, including one from Ty Segall on “Spoiled Daisies.” The singles we’ve heard so far have a loose garage rock feel, and this latest song is perhaps the poppiest of the bunch, with a psychedelic edge befitting a tune featuring Segall.
The Jesus Lizard – “Moto(R)”
Guitarist Duane Denison explicitly says that Jesus Lizard’s new song, “Moto(R),” is “not Motörhead.” But damn if it isn’t Jesus Lizard playing heavy metal. The sharp guitar solos are a dead giveaway, no matter what Denison says, and it’s downright thrilling to hear the band in this mode. That said, you won’t find David Yow letting out any falsetto screams or raspy growls. In fact, his delirious delivery works very well here, simmering as an element of chaos amidst the onslaught of riffs.
Xiu Xiu – “Veneficium”
Xiu Xiu evokes the post-punk masters of yesteryear on “Veneficium,” the potent second half of their new double-A-side single. We hear This Heat, Chrome… even a bit of Canadian-style krautrock. Distorted bass and pocket-sized drums drive this engaging five-plus-minute track, another fine example of this band’s enduring artistry.
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