Corrosive, enraged and thoughtful, the fourth release from Chicago based and SALVATION (featuring drummer Brian Wnukowski, a founding member of ’90s Chicago noise rock unit Big’n on Skin Graft Records), is an absolute delight to get lost in. “Mock”, out December9th on Reptilian Records, will certainly pull the group out of its own considerable shadow, and we’re thrilled to give you an early stream of the full thing below!
SALVATION have pulled off one of the great albums in the genre this year, a masterpiece of dark, raucous, noise rock, crowned by the soulfully cracked vocals of frontman Jason Sipe. For fans of Nirvana’s sweet, melodic annihilation, the unhinged twang of Lollipop or Cows, and the haunted croon of Elliott Smith.
“There are a lot of artists that have probably influenced us when crafting this album but I don’t think any artists/bands specifically have.” – tells us Salvation frontman Jason Sipe.
” I would say the struggles of life that we all go through and figuring out ways to deal with those struggles and figuring out ways to reprogram ourselves to think more positively and to have a healthier and better quality of life is a big influence behind this album.”
“And the exploration of noise and finding balance with harsh, ugly and aggressive sounds mixed with melody and “catchy” rhythms, grooves and progressions has always been interesting to me.” – continues Jason.
“I guess you could say I like the idea of organized chaos and the thought of trying to communicate and relate to the outside world. I also think it’s important to not take yourself too serious so the name “MOCK” kind of flirts with saying “you can’t hurt me because I’ve already hurt myself”. The three of us definitely love all styles of music but the way it seems to come out of us when we play together tends to lend tribute to the weird, dirty, dark and noise soaked artists in the world.”
At times heavy and sludgy, often urgent and bombastic. Moments evoke Nirvana’s sweet, melodic annihilation; moments evoke the unhinged twang of Lollipop or Cows. Frontman Jason Sipe holds court with a formidable voice – a mix of power and pain, confidence and vulnerability, he commands attention with every holler and howl. On the album’s two ballads, “Drag the River” and “Worn Out Party,” he slays with a haunted croon that recalls Elliott Smith.
“It’s just a collection of feelings,” states Sipe. “I guess it’s my way of communicating with whoever might hear our music and my way of documenting and publicly expressing who I am and the way I feel at this point in my life.”
In the words of No Echo: “The group’s classic Sub Pop meets AmRep noise rock has built up into a lean and mean beast of an operation.”
MOCK was mixed by Mike Lust at Electrical Audio and Phantom Manner.
