I was lucky enough to catch Misery Index on the recent Morbid Angel tour at the TLA in Philadelphia last week. Misery Index is a band I always catch live and it actually has nothing to do with the fact that both bassist/vocalist Jason Netherton and vocalist/guitarist Mark Kloeppel happen to be academics who I’ve worked with. You can see what they work on here and here. Kloeppel, as a graduate student, even had the unfortunate experience of having to study my own academic work.
Misery Index is out in support of their newest 7” single, “I Disavow,” a crushing new track that grapples with our current environment of fake news and rampant malfeasance across the cultural spectrum. The music and lyrics take me back to the Traitors era of the band, and if this single is a taste of the new record they’re currently working on, we’re going to find ourselves with an aggressive, toothy compilation of fresh tracks later this year.
The thing that really stands out about Misery Index is that they can get really dirty in their sound at times, yet maintain brilliant technical precision. Much of this stems from the intense work of guitarist Darin Morris and the breathtaking Adam Jarvis on drums. Even at 120 beats per minute, this foursome isn’t going to miss anything. Besides “I Disavow,” fans were treated to a mini best-of set that featured the title track from “Traitors” as well as some of the more well known tracks from The Killing Gods record. If for some reason you haven’t caught a listen to this amazing disc yet, check out “The Calling.”
If you haven’t heard Misery Index yet, it’s time. If you haven’t seen Misery Index yet, it’s time. Smart lyrics, incredible musicianship, intense videography, and tremendous artwork all meshed together. Personally, I can’t wait for the new record.
