It’s no secret that I’m pretty damn fond of Temporary Residence’s roster. But even considering the label’s past greatness, 2014 is a banner fucking year for them. The new strike of the Brooklyn based label brings the name of United Nations, the punk/power-violence, super-group that was conceived almost a decade ago as a side-project and founded by members of Thursday, Glassjaw and Converge but that now, with their second full length album, can be acclaimed as one the most promising punk bands in North America.
The sound that United Nations play reminds the mid-90s screamo/ grindcore bands but they definitely are far more melodic without renouncing to their endless wall of frantic and chaotic music. This mix makes their style unique and delectably refreshing. This is the style we find again in the band’s second LP The Next Four Years. Having solidified their lineup with members of Thursday, Glassjaw, Converge, and Pianos Become the Teeth, the band will drag the listener into a cosmic yet delicious music chaos.
The eleven movements of The Next Four Years clock in at near 30 minutes but it burns so fast that you won’t be able to understand where you are. It took me a while before getting into this album's mood and now I’m enjoying every minute of it. The songwriting is strong and the instrumentation memorable. Each track on the LP is dynamic. The production is foggy and heavy, drenched in reverberation and thick in rumbling bass guitar. So authentic and wonderfully thunderous is the bass guitar that it needs to be pointed out.
'Serious Business' is a brilliant start and the voice of Geoff Rickly is absolutely fantastic: the song kicks off with a mighty riff, and the first thing you realize is that this album is really going to blow your mind. ‘Meanwhile On Main Street’ might be my favorite track from the album: I do love its start and the rhythm given by the frontman’s vocals that are beyond perfect with their sharp, silver tongued bite before exploding in a gigantic and abrasive wall of sound. i particularly like the way the song goes from a mellow intro to chaotic carnage.
Blistering tracks like ‘United Nations Find God’ and ‘Between Two Mirrors’ burns immediately with no calm intro. The screaming vocals are mind blowing and the guitars manifest grind flourishes, psychedelic rock tone and heavy metal low end. Another notable particular are the drums that ebb and flow with tactile cadence, quivering and rippling through each track with throbbing evolution.
There’s a slight variation in how the vocals and guitars sound in ‘United Nations VS. United Nations’ that is something in between metal and space rock. The execution is notable, the rhythm is pursuing, and the track in general is perfect.
All the songs of The Next Four Years seem to be standouts and I have to recommend this album to anyone interested in heavy metal, post-hardcore, screamo and psychedelic rock.
The Next Four Years is a solid album and if, for any reason, this review made you curious, just go and listen to United Nations and you will have a new favorite band.
