Despite the demands of being such an intense experience Metz’s greatest trick might be in creating an album that can offers something for everyone who’s interested in torturing their speakers.
The overriding aesthetic is one of immediacy and turbo-fuelled levels of energy accompanied by buzz saw guitars, fuzzed up bass and steamroller drums.
II hits like a concussion grenade, and you’ll revel in the damage long after the room’s been cleared.
II possesses the thrills of the original but boasts a few new subtle differences to mark itself as a worthy sequel.
Social anxiety has rarely sounded this thrilling.
II does not attempt to reinvent the wheel, but instead just straps rockets onto both sides and lets it fly. And boy, how high it goes.
It’s common for bands bent on destruction to dial things back as they move ahead, but METZ has no such designs. II, like the record that preceded it, is still a seasick and unyielding document of brutalist experimentation.
The Canadian trio attack with a more varied array of instrumentation, including synths, tape loops and samples of found sounds, but don’t expect subtle intricacy – ‘II’ is heavier, darker and more abrasive than ‘Metz’.
There's something genuinely artful in the way Metz has constructed II, and the band's apparent smarts don't dull the effect of this music, but instead make it even more dangerous, like a serial killer with a medical degree.
Their atypical hardcore weaves between math rock precision and dirty grunge riffs, conflicted about both embracing simple pleasures and getting mired in existential angst, and II is the internal fight sprung to searing, spectacular life.
Listening to METZ II is an overwhelming experience. It may take a few listens to soak in all the vitriol and venom, but it’s worth the effort.
It’s undeniable that for whatever lack of originality one could argue, II unquestionably equals its predecessor in potency and vigor in just about every way, and will still be one of the most ferocious and laser-focused rock records you’re likely to hear all year.
By sticking so closely to the script laid out by their debut, II is the one thing punk rock should never be: careful.
The hype around this band was a turnoff for me for years, probably because I felt there were better noise bands out there that weren't getting the same recognition. That said, after finally giving Metz a chance I do regret holding out for this long. Metz II seems to only have one gear (total punishment), but what they have to offer isn't bad by any means. I'm gonna remain optimistic that some of the other albums will have more of the variety I'm looking for (in addition to the punishment).
▲ = Acetate, The Swimmer, Spit You Out, Landfill, Wait in Line, Eyes Peeled
▬ = I.O.U, Nervous System, Kicking a Can of Worms
▼ =
This time their brutality became accessible and the intense guitar riffs ruled the entire territory, asking us to sit and wait until the last breath of Edkins words.
▲ = Acetate, The Swimmer, Spit You Out, Landfill, Wait in Line, Eyes Peeled
▬ = I.O.U, Nervous System, Kicking a Can of Worms
▼ =
The hype around this band was a turnoff for me for years, probably because I felt there were better noise bands out there that weren't getting the same recognition. That said, after finally giving Metz a chance I do regret holding out for this long. Metz II seems to only have one gear (total punishment), but what they have to offer isn't bad by any means. I'm gonna remain optimistic that some of the other albums will have more of the variety I'm looking for (in addition to the punishment).
1 | Acetate 3:55 | 70 |
2 | The Swimme 2:41 | 60 |
3 | Spit You Out 4:49 | 65 |
4 | Zzyzx 0:34 | |
5 | I.O.U. 2:52 | 60 |
6 | Landfill" 2:42 | 65 |
7 | Nervous System 2:09 | 65 |
8 | Wait in Line 3:16 | 65 |
9 | Eyes Peeled 2:33 | 60 |
10 | Kicking a Can of Worms 4:19 | 60 |
#27 | / | Entertainment Weekly |
#32 | / | Blare |
#48 | / | Diffuser |
#76 | / | Rough Trade |
#82 | / | Piccadilly Records |