By Jeffery McNulty
True story: the first time I heard this new self-titled record I was walking down Broadway and a Jehovah’s Witness actually pulled his Watchtower away from me when he saw my EHG hoodie! Ha, as if I’d even want one, asshole. Yeah, I’m that guy. Eyehategod have consistently stayed one of my favorite bands since the early ‘90’s.
Does this new album have the same power as Take as Needed for Pain? No. How can anything have the impact of hearing that for the first time? Frankly it’s not quite as good as their last record Confederacy of Ruined Lives, but these guys have been the scummiest, heaviest band in the world for two and a half decades, and this is their first full length in over ten years so I can give them a break. I’ll even give them a pass on the spoken word song because the record’s opener “Agitation! Propaganda!” is such a barnburner.
There are very few bands that can continue to rock like this year after year and still stay true to their original ideal (Melvins or St. Vitus for example) instead of succumbing to mediocrity or laziness (COC, Metallica, I’m looking at you). With titles like “Robitussin and Rejection” and “Medicine Noose” EHG is still keeping it real as can be. The production, basic tracks recorded by Billy Anderson and mixed by Stephen Berrigan (Down), is tough and raw as fuck. Drummer Aaron Hill has been doing a great job filling shoes since Joey LaCaze died in 2013 from respiratory failure but this album is the last to have Joey behind the kit making this a truly a fitting memorial.
I once saw someone hand Mike a huge bag of brown tar on stage and people were giving Jimmy key bumps, while they were playing. It was insane. I would expect nothing less from a band whose motto is, “Peace through addiction”. Released in the States on Phil Enselmo’s Housecore label, his promo quote is hilarious, “This is the EYEHATEGOD record every true fan has been waiting for…” Well duh dude! ANY EHG record is worth waiting for.
