Underside Of Power, The

The second album from this international, Atlanta-originated quartet (joined not long ago by former Bloc Party drummer Matt Tong) is bracing, intently political, and adventurous rock that weaves together gospel, post-punk, industrial electronica, and drone. Their vocalist Franklin James Fisher sounds like he’s on fire, and his singing vaults between the articulate pathos of ‘60s soul and the raw pain of hardcore. The level of political sophistication and the lack of condescension feels refreshing; their radical outlook is no timely pose, but if their debut in 2015 was pertinent then, their vision’s become only more relevant since. Favorites: 1, 3, 6, 7, 12. No FCCs detected.

1. *(3:11)—Slow, heavy, dramatic trap-noise. Fred Hampton speech clip. Borderline screamed vocals. “We won’t be led to slaughter / this is self-genocide.”
2. (4:04)—Medium-fast, coldwave blended with gospel. Intense group vocals, industrial passages.
3. *(4:13)—Mid-tempo, the single. Droning beginning morphs into an propulsive, upbeat (in relative terms) soul anthem.
4. (4:32)—Mid-tempo, dark, dry, claustrophobic post-punk with ‘80s synths.
5. (3:44)—Slow, foreboding, ‘80s horror soundtrack soul.
6. *(3:35)—Mid-tempo ballad. Pretty, grainy piano. Sad, desolate guitar.
7. *(3:47)—Slow song in tribute to Tamir Rice and against police brutality. Rolling, heavy stutter-step beat. Gospel samples.
8. (2:34)—Fast anti-Trump industrial-punk song. “Don’t feed the animals / they only feign innocence.”
9. (2:53)—Instrumental. Slow, dark, spaced-out industrial techno.
10. (4:11)—Doomy piano loop, ghostly backing vocal. Slow, jazzy second half.
11. (2:26)—Instrumental. Chimes, deep drones, atonal sax, bowed cymbal. Play with next track.
12. *(5:26)—Fast, rolling, Nina Simone-esque rave-up. Long, soft, droning finish.