If ever there was an album title that more accurately described the overall sound of a record, it’s “DOOMPOP”. Downtrodden yet delightful, the latest slab of sonic soliloquies from Detroit’s Zilched is a driving collection of unforgettable Rawk that elegantly eschews norms to forge a new genre built from Alternative, Grunge, and Dream Pop.
Jangly guitars give way to the electric hum of the bass and steady beats to introduce listeners to the quirky but calculated tones of DOOMPOP when “Blue Doom” begins followed by the fuzzed out mountain of guitar tones that seemingly envelope all in “The Knife” with Chloë Drallos’ smoky, breathy refrains acting as this perfect contradiction to the pointed, perfect noise.
“Sleeper” is dreamy yet raucous with Eliot Thomas’ driving bass lines creating this luscious cacophony of sound against Drallos’ trance-like guitars and hypnotic vocal delivery while “Velcro Dog” is unrelenting, bombarding listeners with a veritable wall of voices with drummer Nick Russo keeping a steady pace through it all.
“The Morning” brings to mind The Cure’s Disintegration with the way Thomas plays the bass here and then the track just explodes into this glowing anthem with Drallos’ strong vocal bravado soaring in the upper range. “Cry 4 Me” is kind of this mix of DIIV and local luminaries like Carissa Johnson or Circus Trees as it meshes modern Alternative with old school Grunge and later, “Darkside” is a solid new gloom anthem reminiscent of Nirvana’s biggest and best (Think “Something In The Way” intent but “Drain You” sensibilities).
Russo’s drums propel “Sixteen” into the past for a rawkin’ little number that begins like Sonic Youth’s Goo and ends like The Breeders’ Last Splash and then Thomas’ bass gives off all the Goth vibes on album ender “Teenage Insects” which, when coupled with Drallos’ static fuzz on the guitar and compelling vocal delivery, is just the perfect conflicting contrast of sounds to conclude the record.
DOOMPOP arrives on October 23rd through Young Heavy Souls. You can pre-order yours now by clicking here. For more on Zilched, follow the socials by heading here or here.