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16: Zoloft smile
16/01/08 || Kampfar
Since fucking up the facts in my take on Bergraven’s “Dödsvisioner” I’ve been hellbent on doing some decent research before committing a review, especially in cases such as this. You see, 16 did, until like a week ago, not exist in my world, though in the real world they have been banging out (self) hate and depression since the early 90’s. The real world counts, at least for now, so I decided to become super duper acquainted with them here follows. That way I could explain you how they ended up with their rather shitty moniker, the reason why some or all of them have spent time in prison, their favorite drug, you name it. No can do, as I fail to find more than snippets of info, none which I’m able to confirm.
But I can confirm that I have found myself a favorite band, not like THE favorite, I’m too old for that bullshit, more like among the top 50. Yeah, I do listen to fuckloads of music. It’s me and Fenriz.
A reviewer with a couple of years on his back not able to describe a band or album without resorting to band comparisons are not worthy and should hang him/herself, at the very least quit what they are doing. But it would be bloody sloppy of me not to point out that 16 is roughly put a more fucked up version of Helmet, progressively less like their fellow Americans for each album, true, but the link is ever present alright. Not like every second, ya fuck, but on every album.
For those unfamiliar with Helmet, this information may come in handy. We are talking fairly simplistic riffing, riffs often repeated, but close to always providing stomp en masse, doing just that with great help from the bass. Punch and stomp are keywords for both acts.
Oh, almost forgot. Zoloft is, according to Wikipedia, an anti-depressant.
At the core, as with all quality releases, we have sturdy songwriting, which on “Zoloft smile” translates to mending heavy and infectious riffs with pounding rhythms. Marry this with excellent sound, no bullshit instrumentation, an attention to detail and a vocalist genuinely sad and desperate. Also keep in mind that it wouldn’t be entirely wrong to label “Zoloft smile” sludge (light), and you should, if not lobotomized, have a decent take on what to expect.
If lobotomized, or just uninformed, read this carefully.
Sludge is like really, really heavy and fucking slow, often distorted and dirty as an old man with no control over his (anal) sphincter. I suggest Moloch if ye want a benchmark. 16 is brackish water compared to them sludge-wise, but their music is every bit as deadly; or pathetic if you have a brave heart and no sympathy for those among us with only limited control of their thoughts and emotions.
Good luck with that sphincter.
“Zoloft smile’s” ultra negative lyrics, at times even downright sick, some definitively holding large doses of what could hardly be considered anything but self pity, will most likely throw more than one potential fan off the wagon. The lyrics make 16 kinda emo, I admit, but the difference between these kids and the ones in, let’s say HIM, are that 16 will puncture your eye, perhaps both, and with a shard of glass, if you step on them, not break down and cry, mascara running tiny floods down their faces, rather your eye sockets emptying its slimy content all over your horrified face.
And yeah, fuck you.
But no, I haven’t tattooed their name on my balls just yet.
Nor will I, but there isn’t a single doubt in my heart they have made some of the best songs I’ve ever heard. “Damone”, “Hearing voices” and “Zoloft smile” is a trefoil hard to top, even for 16, but the only half weak song here is “Aging disgracefully,” parts of it sounding cheap and rushed. If I’d been the producer, I would tell them to fucking scrap it. But not the title, hell no. Or how about “You’re not my real dad?” Fucking ace I tell ya, which pretty much sums up the whole of “Zoloft smile”.
Broken but deadly, that’s my summary of them here cozy fellows.
And I love them.
8,5 of 10
- Information
- Released: 2003
- Label: At a loss
- Website: www.myspace.com/16
- Band
- Chris Jerue: vocals
- Phil Vera: guitar
- Nial McGaughey: bass
- Mark Sanger: drums
- Tracklist
- 01. Damone
- 02. Hearing voices
- 03. Zoloft smile
- 04. Balloon knot
- 05. Workplace on fire
- 06. Born to lose
- 07. Grip of delusion
- 08. Aging disgracefully
- 09. You’re not my real dad
- 10. Poverty
