Celebrity Therapist (MNRK Heavy / Modern Static Records) is the brand new LP from the six-piece Atlanta noise merchants, who announced themselves to the world with their debut EP My Dixie Wrecked in 2017 and have since continued to consistently put out new music including the Animal Tetris EP and their acclaimed 2019 LP Die On Mars which was also re-released as an instrumental version. 

The band teased their new music earlier this year with the release of the single ‘A Brief Article Regarding Time Loops’, which certainly whet the appetite of those familiar with the distinct brand of their lunatic space crazy mathcore and phrenetic post-hardcore. The obvious comparison for The Callous Daoboys would be to lump them in with the likes of Converge and The Dillinger Escape Plan which is no bad thing at all, but they are certainly also carving out their own niche, with a sound made unique by their prominent use of synths and strings

This album is a short sharp blast of eight tracks opening with the Mr Bungle-esque ‘Violent Astrology’ albeit with the vocals of Carson Pace spitting with venom over the off-beat and quirky music. ‘A Brief Article Regarding Time Loops’ is fast, furious and chaotic with impressively off-kilter guitar work throughout, while ‘Beautiful Dude Missile’ blends a real nineties New York hardcore influence with avantgarde jazz and a hint of  System Of A Down at their wildest. 

On ‘Title Track’, The Callous Daoboys let rip with an almost stadium rock vibe, bled with interjections of balls to the wall head-fucking fury, before ‘Field Sobriety Practice’ continues the sound, starting mellow almost pop-rock like before the chaos reignites and throws you into a deep, dark abyss of cacophony. 

‘The Elephant Man In The Room’ is an imaginatively titled blast of schizophrenic mathcore with some great lyrics including the line “Pray for this world, whatever we get is what we fucking deserve!”

While the merging of big room rock akin to Fall Out Boy superimposed with furiosity continues on ‘What Is Delicious Who Swarms’ which also introduces a ska feel with its remnant horn section, before the record closes out and comes full circle with ‘Star Baby’, opening with a fat bassline and the carnival like Mr Bungle feel that the record started with. 

Celebrity Therapist is a good place to introduce your ears to something new and uniquely creative, from one of the best named newer heavy bands out there. 

Buy the album here: https://thecallousdaoboys.bandcamp.com/album/celebrity-therapist-2

7 / 10 

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