By Grant Kelly, Contributor

[The Flenser; 2024]

Rating: 7/10

Key Tracks: “Shame,” “Tape,” “Masc”

Cool World is the second full-length album from Oklahoma noise rock and metal band Chat Pile, following their breakout debut God’s Country in 2022. After initially making a name for themselves with a striking blend of industrial textures, desolate urban aesthetics and an eccentric variety of vocal styles, their newest album builds upon this established sound with more overtly melodic and groove-oriented songwriting, without sacrificing their trademark grit. 

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The opener “I Am Dog Now” features an animalistic delivery from vocalist Raygun Busch, with a ferocious rhythmic pulse that gives listeners a taste of the album’s capacity for sheer brute force. Other tracks like “Frownland” and “Funny Man” continue in its footsteps with mind-melting repetition, relentless energy and a sense of instrumental dissonance that sees the band hitting all the wrong notes in just the right way. This unwavering darkness found in the album’s sonic palette perfectly sets the stage for its lyrics which explore a wide range of bleak scenes, but primarily focus on images of war and the senseless violence that accompanies it. 

“Shame” provides one of the band’s catchiest hooks to date, with a gothic quality reminiscent of classic ‘80s and ‘90s alternative music. These moments reinforce one of the band’s established strengths, which is the relative simplicity of their lyrics that allow their messaging to be immediately understood. 

“Camcorder” and “Tape” display an exhilarating versatility in the band’s sound. Busch’s vocals jump from bone-rattling growls to a subdued, almost ghostly delivery during quieter sections. The guitars are manipulated in continually creative ways, such as the blaring siren sound that punctuates the former track. These elements come together spectacularly to help paint the tense, brutal scenes depicted in the lyrics.  

“The New World” and “Masc” sport some of the strongest grooves on the album, with a bouncy and even funk-inflected quality to the band’s performances. “Masc” in particular is a standout track for Busch’s performance, which sees him taking a step back from the sweeping portrayals of human suffering he creates on the rest of the album to something much more vulnerable, making it one of the most emotionally resonant moments on the album. 

As far as criticisms go, my issues with this album mostly come down to personal taste rather than glaring flaws. For one, the mixing on the album can get a little high-end heavy, leading to a bit of ear fatigue by the end. Additionally, Raygun Busch’s vocals aren’t going to be for everyone – his wild inflections can get to be overwhelming, even silly at times, which can lead to weakened impact during serious passages. On the other hand, if you’re a fan of strange vocalists in metal, this is more of a feature than a bug.

Cool World is anything but pleasant, but its ferocity and gripping songwriting provide some much-needed catharsis from the grim realities of our world we’re often faced with.

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/album/3k7GhMNdQ0KXGkC84qVRf2