A true iconoclast, Scatterface takes genres and melts them into unique creations on the powerful “2020”. The potpourri of styles is part of the joy of the album for the sudden jumps stun. Industrial, ambient, hard rock, folk, and more all filter into the mix. Colorful to the extreme the entire album is best taken in as a singular whole for the expansiveness of the sound needs to simply wash over the listener. Vocalists sing with so much passion with lyrics that reveal a sense of poetry. Exploration ties the whole of the album together for there is a dramatic tension that underlies it all. With a true ear for melody these tracks linger in the mind long after the album has ended. Emotionally fraught the way the sound careens unexpectedly further lend the approach additional heft.
Impossible to truly pin down, Scatterface draws from a wide swath of influences. While there are hooks within the album, how he deploys them varies greatly. For the industrial kick, the influence from Nine Inch Nails becomes obvious. Like Nine Inch Nails, there is an intense focus on production along with a dark eeriness. The heavier aspects of the sound recall the glory of early Type O Negative in terms of the sheer physicality of the sound. Perhaps the major theme of the sound comes from the exploration of the underbelly of sound.
The regal gothic undertones of “SC4TTERF4CE” sets the tone for what follows, with clever lyricism. Careful balladry rolls through the contemplative mood piece of “State of Change”. No holds barred “Null” propels itself forward with sheer fury. Muscular guitar riffs race through as the song’s feral spirit feels infectious. A true symphonic presence defines the stellar “Symptoms” where elements of post-rock, electro, and noise merge into a singular whole. So much heart and soul flows through the piece making it one of the highlights of the album. Going for a bit of a fake-out is the duality of “Lust II” featuring some fine guitar athletics. Stripping things down to the essentials is the tenderness of “Snowflake”. Metal and classical come together to become one on the commanding dirge of the aptly named “Apocalypse”.
Grandiose the epic “Path of the Sun” effortlessly punctuates the powerful vocals as they soar up into the sky. An incredible journey brings the cathartic “Endless Rain” together in a fantastic, fearless way. Yearning and passion underpin the chaotic exploration of “Secret Rooms” while the arrangement becomes a virtual Byzantine series of patterns. Mournfulness sits right in the center of the dramatic scope of “State Of Truth”. The title track “2020” goes for a palette-cleansing mixture of industrial and ambience. Another highlight bursts forth with the cryptic “We All Float” where they incorporate horror imagery to great effect. Neatly bringing it together is the finale of the instrumental version of “Endless Rain”.
Scatterface defies any and all categorization on the collage-like delirium of “2020”.
