Death metals Louisiana-based musical extremists Soilent Green cannot be killed. Cumulatively, current members guitarist Brian Patton, vocalist Ben Falgoust, drummer Tommy Buckley and bassist Scott Crochet have survived endless tragedies, including member deaths via murder and Hurricane Katrina, horrific accidents and countless other setbacks both large and small in their decade-plus existence. Still, they forge ahead undaunted, resulting in the undeniable brutality of sixth album Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction. Their Metal Blade debut, Inevitable Collapse finds the band even more ravenous than on 2005s predatory Confrontation. Charged with vehemence, the album is shockingly intense and frenzied. Songs such as "Blessed in the Arms of Servitude, "Superstition Aimed at Ones Skull and "Antioxidant display a previously unheralded aggression channelled through a more streamlined approach. Stopping just shy of cacophony, hyperactive blast-beats are countered by plodding, chugging rhythms, mind-numbing guitar solos not to mention an acoustic intro on "In the Same Breath that is startling but fitting, accentuating the fury that follows and guttural screams, as captured by producer Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal). The end result is a cathartic purging of years of frustration, resulting in unequalled power for both band and audience.
Inevitable Collapse finds Soilent Green with a new outlook, doesnt it?
Patton: Definitely. Weve put a lot of the past behind us and it came through in the writing of this record. We have a clear head and weve gotten over the drama. As far as were concerned, all of the bad luck shot out the window with this album and moving to Metal Blade.
After a decade with Relapse, why the shift?
[Metal Blade] is enthusiastic about us. We havent had that in a long time. We had so much drama going on when we were with Relapse that I think they wound up not wanting to deal with us anymore. Towards the end, it wasnt fun. Its nice to have people wanting to work with us again.
What sort of clarity did purging your woes bring to the new album?
We came to the realisation that we need to play music for the sake of it and nothing else. Otherwise, wed have collapsed. We know that it could always get worse. Every time things were going well, something tragic would happen, crippling us for a year or two. Sometimes Im surprised Im still doing this when it feels like theres no hope; you finally get what you need and then its taken away from you. A lot of weaker people would have given up long ago. This business is cutthroat and you need a hard skin to stay in it. Weve been through a lot and at this point, were just trying to bask in getting to tour and do interviews. Just working as a band again.
(Metal Blade)Inevitable Collapse finds Soilent Green with a new outlook, doesnt it?
Patton: Definitely. Weve put a lot of the past behind us and it came through in the writing of this record. We have a clear head and weve gotten over the drama. As far as were concerned, all of the bad luck shot out the window with this album and moving to Metal Blade.
After a decade with Relapse, why the shift?
[Metal Blade] is enthusiastic about us. We havent had that in a long time. We had so much drama going on when we were with Relapse that I think they wound up not wanting to deal with us anymore. Towards the end, it wasnt fun. Its nice to have people wanting to work with us again.
What sort of clarity did purging your woes bring to the new album?
We came to the realisation that we need to play music for the sake of it and nothing else. Otherwise, wed have collapsed. We know that it could always get worse. Every time things were going well, something tragic would happen, crippling us for a year or two. Sometimes Im surprised Im still doing this when it feels like theres no hope; you finally get what you need and then its taken away from you. A lot of weaker people would have given up long ago. This business is cutthroat and you need a hard skin to stay in it. Weve been through a lot and at this point, were just trying to bask in getting to tour and do interviews. Just working as a band again.
