There are some intense tracks on Ugly Animals. The average runtime of the tracks on this album seems to be about a minute, but Retx crams everything that they can into this time frame. Whether it is metal, hardcore, punk, or even funk or folk, Ugly Animals has a little bit of everything. A super-group of sorts, Retox links together The Locust, Cattle Decapitation, Festival of Dead Deer and Holy Molar. I feel that there is a much more nuanced sound that bubbles just beneath each composition.
Even if a track like Stick A Fork In It may blow past listeners in forty-nine seconds, there is a good three of four minutes of material smooshed into that space. Listeners will require a number of full listens to Ugly Animals before understanding the full extent of what is present. The latter half of Ugly Animals provides Retox ample opportunity to expand their horizons. A Captive Audience has the band move into more of a grind-heavy headspace, while Ten Pounds of Shit in A Five Pound Bag is straight-forward fire. Three One G has released Ugly Animals into CD and LP formats – if you are a vinyl junkie at all, the label has really ratcheted up what individuals should expect.
This means that the vinyl is colored and etched especialy for the release, while still containing a card that can then be redeemed for a download of the album. Without a second to breathe, Retox has created in Ugly Animals one of the most brutal albums of the year. Check it out today.
Top Tracks: The World Is Ending and It’s About Time, Thirty Cents Shy of A Quarter
Rating: 7.0/10
Retox – Ugly Animals (CD) / 2011 Ipecac Recordings / 11 Tracks / http://www.ipecac.com
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
Beats: Independent Music, PC Gaming & Peripherals, Consumer Tech, Webmaster Tools
Testing & Ethics: All hardware, software, and media reviews are conducted through hands-on evaluation in accordance with NeuFutur’s editorial independence standards; sponsored consideration is strictly excluded from editorial ratings.
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