Philly post-metal band Bruise Bath has a new single out, and it is the kind of track that makes you wonder how they got away with it. “Non-Consensual Intervention” opens with a sampled spoken word segment about a potential US invasion, then moves into heavy riffage and guttural wails. The band has released a self-titled album, and this single is the proof that they are not finished.
The Track’s Opening
The song begins with a spoken word segment about how maybe the US should be invaded someday so we can know what it’s like. That is a bold way to open a protest song, especially from a band whose name suggests something heavy and bruised. The spoken word sets the scene before the music arrives, giving the track a political edge before it even starts to rock.
The Riff-Driven Middle
Once the band kicks in, the track moves into a gnarly riff-driven churn on the same subject. The music is burly and bass-forward, which fits the title and the subject matter. The band is not afraid of noise, and the riffage is the kind that clears a room rather than fills it.
The Harrowing Wails
The track eventually clears out the lane for some harrowing guttural wails. The vocal performance reaches a peak with the line “How am I supposed to live?!” — a question that lands with real force after the sampled opening and the heavy riffing.
The Discordant Finish
After the wails, the track returns to its discordant, lo-fi horrors. The music does not resolve into a clean chorus. It stays discordant, which fits a song about invasion and resistance. The lo-fi horrors keep the track from settling into a comfortable groove, and that is the point.
The Self-Titled Album
Bruise Bath released a self-titled album, and this single is their follow-up. It is not their first eponymous LP, but it is the one that has produced this particular protest song. The album gave them the space to expand their sound, and this single is the result — a track that samples, riffs and wails its way through a politically charged subject.
The Sound of Bruising
This one does sound like bathing in bruises. The title of the band and the track are both about injury and resistance, and the music delivers on that promise.
The Release Date
“Non-Consensual Intervention” is out today, and it is available now for streaming and download.
The Verdict
This track is the kind of protest song that actually earns its name. It is heavy, angry, and unapologetic. The sampled opening gives it a political edge, and the music backs that up with noise and wails. It is a track that lives up to its name, both in title and in sound.
The record is a protest song that does not apologize for its anger, and that is the kind of song that makes a statement. It is heavy, it is angry, and it is unapologetic.
| Stage of the Track | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Opening | Spoken word sample about a potential US invasion |
| Middle | Gnawing riff-driven churn, burly and bass-forward |
| Middle (later) | Harrowing guttural wails peak on “How am I supposed to live?!” |
| Finish | Discordant, lo-fi horrors, no clean chorus |
See the a run of 20 images at Stereogum.
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