The Striggles – The Striggles DLP (Noise Appeal Records)

Here’s another excellent release from the Noise Appeal Records workshop. The self-titled full-length album by “The Striggles” is something you need in your vinyl collection if you’re into a unique audio/visual experience. Of course, you probably already learned that The Striggles are all about noise rock experimentations, but their fourth full-length effort is a piece of art. Separated into two hefty standard black vinyl records, this material shines with another pleasant surprise that will come in handy when your friends come over for a visit. The band undoubtedly thought about everything while figuring out the concept, so this release comes as a triple-panel gatefold, with the center panel printed as “Hey, Don’t Get Angry,” a famous gameboard that shaped many generations. Of course, the band also included pawns and dice, packed in a paperback and sealed with a The Striggles pin. Therefore, you can play the game while listening to this excellent album.

Soundwise, The Striggles continue their sonic saga by further developing their recognizable sound. As usual, they push noise rock boundaries but also pay homage to many other music genres, such as post-hardcore, post-punk, art-rock, experimental rock, indie rock, etc. These experienced Austrian musicians love experimentation with different, but complementary music genres, so that’s the case with this album as well. Unlike many noise rock bands, The Striggles push the boundaries of the genre to a new level, making their music such a pleasantly refreshing listening experience. Of course, they love being weird, eerie, noisy, and obnoxious at times, but these experimentations serve as the transitions to those segments when this band shines the most. The additional elements borrowed from post-hardcore, post-punk, art-rock, experimental rock, and indie rock unquestionably serve as more than necessary enhancements, accentuations, decorations, and other details that uplift their songs on an entirely new level, while the band remains loyal to the primary sonic direction.

It’s also good to mention that this particular album is probably their most experimental material ever. They improvise and experiment with their music to the point you’ll notice some jazzy maneuvers, odd-time rhythmic structures, and other sonic and rhythmic delicacies. The guitars resonate with raw, abrasive, noisy chord progressions, riffs, odd melodies, harmonies, themes, and leads. The same goes for the low-end notes, which are minimalized to the point where the bass guitar serves only to fill the gaps and provide more heaviness, depth, and clarity to particular moments. The drummer keeps everything in line and dictates the groove with perfectly thought-out drumming patterns, well-accentuated beats, breaks, fills, and other rhythmic shenanigans. This album is also more instrumental than their previous works, but you’ll notice some segments where the lead vocalist shines with his recognizable articulations.

The Striggles are not just a plain and simple band. Their music is as intricate as noise rock could be, but with many instances where some other complementary music genres shine in the mix. This self-titled album is one of a kind, and it differs from the remainder of their discography. Therefore, don’t miss the chance to grab this fine piece of sonic artistry as part of The Striggles vinyl bundle, which is still available at the Noise Appeal Records web store.