“It’s a pleasure to be your entertainment in the last days of culture”
Since coming together a few years ago, Vinyl Cape has been seamlessly weaving Hip-Hop and Doom Metal together while avoiding the messages typically heard in this type of music. Meaning, they steer clear of misogyny and Hip-Hop slang/references while using minimal expletives and so on. Hailing from New England, the three-piece act released their 7″ vinyl/digital single Veneficium in 2014 and mixtape Ritual Abuse: Mixed Cape I in 2015. Later this month, on September 23rd, Vinyl Cape’s full-length album, The Glitter of Putrescence, will be released from Milled Pavement Records.
The album’s opener, “Death by Numbers,” doesn’t waste any time getting into a dark and heavy tone both musically and lyrically. It kicks off with a sample speaking about the occult; this continues to get interjected throughout the song. MO NIKLZ masterfully handles the samples and cuts, while vocalist BRZOWSKI’s deep raspy voice pairs well with backup vocalist, C $ BURNS. It should be noted that C $ BURNS is the jack-of-all-trades here, covering guitar, bass, keys, production and mixing. When “Death by Numbers” ends, you have an excellent idea of what exactly you’re getting into with The Glitter of Putrescence.
We then move on to “Barren Orchard,” which references “the historic Rhode Island folktale regarding the family of Sarah Tillinghast, whose corpse was exhumed and treated as a vampire, but likely a case of tuberculosis.” The turntable work in “Barren Orchard” is downright impressive as it remains a strong presence throughout without detracting from the vocals or story. This is important since there is an interesting tale being told that highlights BRZOWSKI’s talent for strong and original lyric writing. An example of this would be “The wasting to your eldest first, a slow confounding; Until she passed and left a silhouette in the vernal earth.”
“The Severed Head of John The Baptist” is undoubtedly Vinyl Cape’s most Metal song on the album. BRZOWSKI shows off his vocal capabilities and features him on guitar and bass as well. The last song that I’ll specifically mention is the album’s title track, “The Glitter of Putrescence.” Although Vinyl Cape is typically a trio, they are joined by the extremely talented Jane Boxall on the drums and Renee Coolbrith on backup vocals. The combination of Renee Coolbrith and BRZOWSKI on vocals during the chorus “We ride…we ride in style…wrapped in grey, bathed…in lunar light” fit perfectly together and is easily my favorite moment of the entire album.
Vinyl Cape is not going to appeal to the masses, but that doesn’t seem to be their end goal with The Glitter of Putrescence. They aren’t shy about their nihilistic view on the world and the systems that govern us. I appreciate the fact that Vinyl Cape strays from “music that shocks” while telling us who they are as a group. There is some serious individual talent being harnessed here that works well collectively and gives us some things to think about when it’s all over.
The Glitter of Putrescence will be available at all major digital vendors, as well as Bandcamp and Milled Pavement.
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