Still Life In Decay

Description

FACS, the Chicago trio (guitarist Brian Case, bassist Alianna Kalaba, and drummer Noah Leger) has honed its brand of intense and cathartic post-punk over four evolving albums, from Negative Houses in 2017 to the historic Present Tense in 2021, on which the trio digs deep into the gaping maw of a black hole and pulls out all the debris it can cling to. Their new album, Still Life In Decay, is an addendum to the previous one – a post-event account. Still Life In Decay begins with a blast of white noise before crashing into the band already locked into the intense groove of "Constellation," with Brian's guitar acting as a ghostly presence, appearing and disappearing in waves of gaseous feedback throughout the track. FACS has never been more cohesive, and Still Life In Decay is a decidedly more focused effort. The apocalyptic chaos that defined their previous album is set aside in favor of an examination of events with grim clarity. As a rhythm section, Alianna and Noah dance and weave around each other like a double helix, making FACS's DNA so special. Collectively, they approach rhythm from the outside of the groove rather than the inside, creating a lattice where Brian weaves guitar lines like creeping vines, making the moments when the band synchronizes even more powerful. The lyrics are free-form poetic missives that address themes of resignation, cynicism, class struggle, and the search for identity and meaning in a collapsing society. For fans of Unwound, MBV, The Jesus Lizard, SUUNS, Metz, The Dead C, Echo And The Bunnymen…