ARTIST: 3Teeth + ALBUM: Metawar + LABEL: Century Media + RELEASE DATE: JUL 05, 2019
I’m not sure if it was planned ahead of time, but it makes perfect sense that 3Teeth’s third studio album is released the day after the United States Independence Day holiday. While the country celebrates its independence from the British monarch with beer, BBQ, and ballgames, 3Teeth’s new album will arrive to aggravate those patriotic hangovers to the howl of Alexis Mincolla singing “Affluenza, pure manifest, welcome to the orgy of corporate incest, sucking and fucking for its own interest, rotting in the West.” I maniacally giggle to myself just writing those lyrics. The band has always leaned toward socio-political commentary, and leading up to the release, their President X campaign has lampooned the Nations current state of buffoonery without parallel.
From the get-go, Metawar shows that the band is getting better and better with each successive release. On a superficial level, you may immediately find the album heavier than their previous releases. But, that’s such a reductionist observation of the content that it lacks any merit on its own. The fact remains that as songwriters, the band continues to grow exponentially. Melodies are stronger, lyrics are even more subversive, and arrangements and instrumentation are more interesting. Indeed, the melodies on tracks like “Affluenza” and “Time Slave” demonstrate that the band is capable of delivering a melody that will inspire huge sing-along’s from the crowd when performed live, or alone in the shower or speeding down a highway. “Blackout” also stands out as a track where the vocals are more in the forefront of the mix.
There’s plenty of 3Teeth branded hard-rockers throughout. Tracks like “Exxxit,” “American Landfill,” and “Sell Your Face 2.0” drive with a caustic rhythm and sneering vocals. The band also shows that they know how to slow things down and create an ominous mood on songs like “Altaer,” “Surrender,” and “The Fall.” Don’t mistake these for ballads, it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose. The soaring chorus on “Bornless” and the hooky changes on “President X” further highlight the bands growth. Both songs show the band has refined their sound and vision into a tight and provocative mix of sublime and sinister. The album closes with a cover of Foster the People’s 2010 single, “Pumped Up Kicks.” This cover doesn’t excite me personally, but I can’t deny that they’ve hung a pair of testicles on this glossy pop song that brings the commentary on guns and school shootings front and center.
If you’ve listened to any of the bands previous releases, or seen them live, you’ll be completely satisfied with Metawar. As 3Teeth continues to make “industrial” a term worthy of further discussion and debate, the truth is that they simply know how to rock your lame ass. The albums ability to crossover to the industrial, alternative, and metal crowd will surely find them a wealth of new fans. If you’ve never had a chance to get into 3Teeth, Metawar is a great place to start.
– J. Kevin Lynch
3Teeth North American Tour Dates
July 15 Salt Lake City, UT Metro Music Hall
July 16 Denver, CO Marquis Theater
July 18 Lincoln, NE Bourbon Theatre
July 19 Kansas City, MO Riot Room
July 20 St. Louis, MO Fubar
July 22 Minneapolis, MN Studio B @ Skyway Theatre
July 23 Madison, WI High Noon Saloon
July 24 Chicago, IL Reggies Rock Club
July 25 Detroit, MI El Club
July 26 Columbus, OH A&R Music Bar
July 28 Montreal, QC Heavy Montreal
July 29 Toronto, ON Velvet Underground
July 31 Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall
August 1 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
August 2 Philadelphia, PA Voltage Lounge
August 3 Baltimore, MD Baltimore Sound Stage
August 4 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
August 5 Nashville, TN Exit/In
August 7 Atlanta, GA The Masquerade (Hell)
August 8 New Orleans, LA The Parish at House of Blues
August 9 Houston, TX Scout Bar
August 10 Dallas, TX Gas Monkey Bar N’ Grill
August 11 Austin, TX Empire Control Room
August 14 Tucson, AZ 191 Toole
August 15 Phoenix, AZ The Rebel Lounge
August 16 San Diego, CA Brick by Brick
August 17 Los Angeles, CA Teragram Ballroom
August 18 San Francisco, CA Slim’s