The Amenta - Chokehold
Wow, it has been a long time since I’ve heard a band so unashamedly go for the early Godflesh sound. I don’t think I’ve heard anyone wear Streetcleaner so blatantly on their sleeves since the early days of Pitch Shifter. This is my first time hearing The Amenta, and this single/EP may or may not be the best place to start. While it’s hard to gauge a band definitively on such a small —and ultimately varied— sample size, this recording has successfully piqued an interest formerly non-existent. It also leaves me with more questions than answers. The title track takes the dense, mechanical vibe of old Godflesh to more modern heights by infusing a stellar, immaculate production. If you’ve ever wondered what Streetcleaner would sound like had it been recorded by Peter Tagtgren at The Abyss, here you go. Whatever verdict one might reach on this band based on their lack of originality would at least have to acknowledge the gigantic sound quality they achieve. The guitars sound like an excavating crew demolishing your backyard, while the minimalist beats hit so hard you can feel them in your stomach. Just to eliminate any possible doubt as to where they’re coming from, up next is a spot-on cover of “Christbait Rising.” One flaw might be the vocals/vocal delivery. A decent-but-unremarkable raspy snarl of the Blackened Melodeath variety that almost sounds too lively atop these oppressive, cheerless dirges. Up next are two live cuts —”Sekem” and “Vermin”— and here’s where shit gets weird. The band sounds radically different in the live setting, like some speedy modern Thrash act with far more traditional structures, Death Metal drumming, and only a slight Industrial tinge. It’s a night and day contrast next to the studio material. To further confuse matters, the EP closes with a remix of “V01D” that plays like a Techno jam with the aforementioned Black/Death vocals. It’s fairly disposable, but what bonus remix hasn’t been? So, basically we have five songs that feel like three different bands. Won’t the real The Amenta please stand up? Whatever the case, I definitely dig the Streetcleaner-aping version of the group most. Quite possibly a sound so old it’s fresh again.
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