Chelsea Wolfe and Jess Gowrie Are Doomier Than Ever on Mrs. Piss's 'Self-Surgery'

BY Addison Herron-WheelerPublished Jun 3, 2020

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Mrs. Piss is a collaboration between Chelsea Wolfe (vocals, guitar) and Jess Gowrie (drums, guitar, bass, programming) and a way for the friends to feed off of each other's energy and make music together. The project's first album, Self-Surgery, is heavy and punishing, darker than a lot of the music the two make on their own, and that's saying something.

"Downer Surrounded by Uppers" is one of the noisiest, heaviest tracks on the album, and that mood is maintained throughout the record. Wolfe's vocals sound harsh and ferocious, kicking things up a notch from her usual melodies. Gowrie adds to the blend with harsh, layered vocals and rhythmic riffing, especially on songs like "M.B.O.T.W.O." The songs on Self-Surgery all border into the realm of noise music, but the melody and texture is still here. Nothing is lost from the sonic attack, even if it does at times feel chaotic. The more flowing, musical parts of the album really carry through and paint a dystopian soundtrack for the times. 

The album-closing title track gets synthier, but also heavier, hitting listeners with a wave of doom. It's the best of what the two can do, both together and apart. If Mrs. Piss's first release is any indication, we can't wait to see what's next.
(Sargent House)

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