God in the Machine by Micturator

Just by existing, experimental music breeds controversy, regardless of the subject matter. It makes sense that listeners who only engage with popular music tend to shun anything outside the norm, but even those who seek refuge from the banality of the pop-industrial complex still all too often rally against their peers who dare to do something different for once. Those who cling tightly to their preferred “death metal” or “black metal” genre boxes end up glossing over excellent releases like the debut album from Micturator, God in the Machine. This record is off the walls, glitchy cybergrind with nasty guttural vocals over jazzy saxophone solos and doublebass breakdowns, all through a funhouse mirror of carnival-esque chiptune. Funky basslines drive some of the tracks, while others layer and loop into impenetrable harsh noise. What God in the Machine does best is balance a brutally heavy approach with joyous, delightful weirdness, completely subverting the pretentious self-seriousness that plagues certain scenes. Thankfully, if you’re a frequent reader of Outside Noise, you’re most likely open-minded enough to enjoy this chaotic release as much as I did. -Kalen