Show Me The Body - Dog Whistle REVIEW

I mentioned in last week's review of Avant Garde, everyone goes through an “edgy adolescent phase.” I similarly had a much longer and (maybe?) less regrettable rap phase during those horribly awkward years of one’s life. Prior to high school--and the subsequent metal train that was soon to run me off of my hip-hop and classic rock rails--I avidly listened to the likes of Eminem, Dr. Dre, and many more incredibly popular genre staples. I am aware that many have gone through this, as rap is inarguably the most dominant genre of music today, and most people I know personally listen almost exclusively to rap music. This has perhaps lent the genre an absence of faith from the wider metal community and a mild hatred from the older (which, let’s face it, is the majority) metal fandom. Do not be confused though, I do not share such a petty distaste, for a true patrician of the arts such as I listen to certain hip-hop artists. Kendrick Lamar, Death Grips, and JPEGMAFIA all tickle my fancy quite well even now. However, something one doesn’t often see is someone who has an insatiable hunger for harsher music and an extreme taste for hip-hop. Therefore, hearing a release like Show Me The Body's sophomore LP Dog Whistle is somewhat of a pleasant surprise and a head-scratcher.

This New York-based hardcore punk band had appeared on my radar initially via sources like Pitchfork and The Needle Drop, both of which reviewed this release favorably, but (like virtually every other review on this blog) due to the everflowing stream of music that grazes my ears, it fell by the wayside. However, when it was announced that this group would be touring with PMMetalGuide favorites Daughters and modern-day noise rock vets Health in December, I had to relisten to Dog Whistle to see what I was in for, and as mentioned before, I was confused. On one hand, you have noisy hardcore bangers like "Camp Orchestra," "Drought", and "USA Lullaby" on display for all the world to see, but on the other slightly less clean paw, you have questionable guitar-driven hip-hop tracks like "Arcanum" and "Now I Know". The subtle influence of rap on the more traditional hardcore tracks is interesting, creating odd but fitting vocal deliveries that keep the band's unique genre-blend fresh. These tracks noisily hit the ground and don't stop running, with  "Madonna Rocket" and "Not For Love" being great examples of this. The crunchy, dissonant guitars and rapid-fire, punchy drums are definitely familiar and welcomed. "USA Lullaby" is undoubtedly a highlight on the album, with its noisy electronic intro heavily resembling a page from the Death Grips playbook. This leads elegantly into a thumping drum beat that evolves into what might constitute a sludge track towards the latter half of the track. "Camp Orchestra" follows the hardcore punk tradition of extremely poignant lyrics, with the title itself referring to orchestra groups created in German concentration camps in World War II, and other lines allude to the position of an artist in capitalist society. This album is angry and unhappy with the world we live in, and songs like these are there to prove it.

However, my largest criticism of the album definitely stems from the heavier hip-hop influenced tracks. I particularly dislike "Now I Know", as the slurred rap vocals over a trudgingly discount noise/doom instrumental get tiring over the short 3:42 track length. This mix of styles bodes slightly better on "Arcanum", where both the vocals and guitars take a far more traditional approach to a hip-hop melody, chock full of rhymes and repeated hooky bars. Perhaps the reason this song works better is the inclusion of the classic eighth-note snare drum beat that was missing from "Now I Know", which gives the tune a solid pulse to groove along to, and grounds the vocal delivery. The gradual build to a bass-heavy punk track is also certainly appreciated. The inclusion of two short spoken word numbers is also questionable. Though both "Animal In A Dream" and "Die For The Earth To Live" lead to cool tracks, especially in the case of the latter, they do feel as though they were included because the band needed to push as close to the 30-minute mark as possible, yet the album still hovers around 28 minutes.

Having never listened to this band or style before, in addition to inadvertently neglecting to listen to the artist's back catalog, I must assume that this amalgam of hardcore punk, rap, and electronic music is the style Show me the Body have chosen to pursue, and for the most part, it works. While I don't see this making a larger dent in my listening rotation than it already has, the majority of tracks, including those that lean heavier on the rap side (except for “Now I Know”), are unique, enjoyable and well performed. The album’s production sounds extremely good, which helps elevate its status in my mind and allows the listener to easily tell what the band is going for. If I had more engagement with guitar-driven hip-hop or something similar, I could surely glean more from this release. But as it stands now, Dog Whistle is an interesting and angry adrenaline-fueled jaunt of hardcore and hip-hop that will assuredly make for great moshing music.

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Final Score: NO WORK WILL SET YOU FREE

Favorite Tracks: "USA Lullaby", "Camp Orchestra"

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You can purchase this album from the band's store here, their Bandcamp here, or most streaming services.