Anyone in their right mind would know that recreating Godflesh's Streetcleaner would be the epitome of the "bite off more than you can chew" idiom. The LP remains as an indisputable magnum opus and solid source for further creative experimentation within metal. Yet, amongst all this high and long-lasting praise, two entities dare to break the untouched ice.
Just as I stated above, an attempt towards a release resembling the magnitude of Streetcleaner requires the most ballsiest of balls, which is all the more reason to beckon Dragged into Sunlight and Gnaw their Tongues as main candidates for the job. The formation of the collaboration began five years ago and eventually lead to N.V. or Negative Volume, (christ, you can't get any more experimental/industrial sounding than that). The man, the legend, Mr. Justin Broadrick of Godflesh was also invited along with Tom Dring of Corrupt Moral Altar to produce this collaborative 5-track, released via Prosthetic Records.
Simply considering this music to be 'appropriate for a horror movie soundtrack' would not be giving justice to the blood-boiling standards presented. The samples that transition and accompany each piece leave the checklist of terrifying serial killer-esque quotes with each empty box crossed with red ink. Even the track titles don't bother to shy away from gruesome imagery with "Visceral Repulsion" and "Strangled with the Cord" as self-explanatory examples. As for the actual musical characteristics, distorted guitars and grind-speed drum rhythms create the sinister soundscapes that are reflective of their respective names.
Like I initially did, I think many fans dug their heels in as soon as they heard it was not only a "covers albums," but also of one of the most influential releases of industrial drone history. But to calm the nerves of any of these worries, I will publicly declare that this release sounds as much as the original as SunnO)))'s cover of Metallica's "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (and for those unfamiliar: original vs. cover). It may have been more appropriate to phrase the album as 'inspired by Streetcleaner' rather than a 'reimagination.'
With over twenty five years behind Godflesh's industrial masterpiece, the resilience is still very much present. And while the sound and delivery may have been considered as groundbreaking at the time of release, the raw production quality and dynamics do show age (which I understand is half of the appeal) in retrospection. Certainly, Dragged into Sunlight and Gnaw their Tongues' attempt doesn't come close to toppling the legacy of Streetcleaner, but rather acts as a support beam. The production and execution provides for a fresh and even more radical take on the idea, which is the most pivotal aspect and purpose of the release.
Where most attempts towards this style fail, these two groups have proven to take the context of unconventional music and weave strikingly diverse traits throughout. It's honestly a treat for many niche branches of the metal family tree. A fair share of industrial, black, doom, and other atypical subgenres allow these five songs to represent a mixed bag of material bound to appeal. In the same way that Primus' reimagining of the Willy Wonka soundtrack furthers the oddball vibes of the musicalities, these two groups hurl the extreme levels to new heights with N.V. As a closing statement, there was an unsettling feeling of as if this was one large tease, that being centralized around cliffhangers and limitations, but more importantly, anticipation towards a sequel.
7.5/10
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