Collaborations, especially in the metal world, can really be a hit or miss proposition. But every now and then two artists come together to create something wholly unique and worthy of the legacy that both acts have established on their own. Such is the case with the new collaboration between The Body and Krieg.
You would think that when you merge the efforts of one of the premier U.S. black metal outfits with one of the metal underground’s most sinister sounding acts the end result would be something altogether unholy. You would be absolutely correct in that assumption as Krieg and The Body have managed to take their most nihilistic elements and meld them into a completely blasphemous affair. Whether it’s the raw cacophony of tracks like “Bottom of the Bottle, Bottom of the River” or the dirge-like oppressiveness of a tracks like “Never Worth Your Name” or “Gallows” the resulting sounds on this album are downright sadistic at certain points, yet completely compelling throughout.
Both of these acts have long and impressive discographies, especially Krieg, who since the mid-90s has been one of the most consistent and brutal black metal acts the U.S. has ever produced. Say what you will about some of their contemporaries who have received more love in the metal press, when it’s all said and done Krieg is a name that will and should rank among the best of the best in USBM. Not to be outdone, The Body have spent the last decade plus making a name for themselves with amazingly intense live performances and a string of nightmare-inducing releases that are really unlike just about anything else churning and bubbling in the cauldron of underground, extreme metal in the U.S. When you really think about both acts it actually makes perfect sense that they would come together at some point – both with a history of split releases a mile long and a penchant for truly pushing the envelope right off the table and into the fire.
Somewhere between the unrelentingly powerful black metal that Krieg has built their reputation on and the industrialized mania which The Body are so adept at lives this joint release like some sort of horribly deformed relative kept hidden under the stairs. Only this time the parents have let this secret out for all the world to stare at in horror and curiosity. It’s an album where clearly three individuals who feel right at home bathing in sonic depravity have taken some of the best of what they do and intertwined it into something equally savage yet undeniably intriguing.
The Body & Krieg is out now via At A Loss Recordings. You can experience two tracks from the album over at the At A Loss Recordings Bandcamp page.
