Dweller by Haunted Horses

A schizophrenic society unsurprisingly fascinates itself with ego death, idealizing identity loss without once stopping to consider the harrowing path to arrive there. Industrial hardcore band Haunted Horses skirts the event horizon on Dweller, a relentless, terrifying record to guide you through the threshold of outsideness. Approachable yet intense vocals provide our only lifeline in this alienating sonic swamp, alternating between wavering, neurotic speech and explosive, paranoid shouts, all of which feel natural and relatable given the circumstances. From all sides, dark, distorted instrumentals lay siege to this weak fortress, combining sludgy progressions, hardcore percussion, and industrial effects to drown us in the nothingness beyond. Dweller never presents us with a choice, constantly reminding us that these agonizing seconds of limbo will soon pass, that a guiding hand will soon push us from our precarious perch into the void. Every choice leads here; the only way out is through.