The Soft Pink Truth

Why Do the Heathen Rage?

BY Daniel SylvesterPublished Jun 13, 2014

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In 2004, Drew Daniel (one half of Matmos) released his second Soft Pink Truth LP, Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want the Soft Pink Truth?, a collection of classic punk and hardcore tracks transformed into gooey techno anthems. A decade later, Daniel returns with Why Do the Heathen Rage?, another covers album that takes on the more impermeable genre of black metal. A metalhead from childhood, Daniel pays tribute to the genre on Why Do the Heathen Rage?, which finds Daniel retaining the genre's extreme delivery while giving each arrangement a powdery makeover.

Covers of Venom, Mayhem and Hellhammer tracks find Daniel screeching over 2-step, drill and bass and 8-bit, but he's is at his best when he speaks politically through musical choices. He taps Wye Oak's Jenn Wasner to sing the album's most lyrically-sexist tracks, and works with Antony Hegarty on the spoken word intro, "Invocation for Strength." On Why Do the Heathen Rage?, Daniel has managed to bring the intellectual and the primal together for one big dance party.

Read our discussion with Daniel regarding Why Do the Heathen Rage? here.
(Thrill Jockey)

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