Deeper follow up their eponymous 2018 LP with ‘Auto-Pain’ – a record that finds the Chicago band dipping into more ideas and emotions than ever before as they grapple with mortality, mental illness, harm and loss.
Duelling guitars fade in and out on the album opener ‘Esoteric’. This then evolves into the kind of melodic indie-punk that served The Rapture so well – and there’s also a bass line that Mini Mansions would be proud of. This is followed by the chanting vocals and defiance of ‘Run’ – a track that has the words ‘Yes, I should run’ repeated over and over again with increasing gusto. ‘This Heat’ is more psychedelic and hypnotic with a psychedelic undertone as the band discuss the impact of S.A.D. in their hometown and the euphoria of breaking the cycle – if only for a little while.
‘Willing’ is more of a slacker-pop song with yelped vocals and detuned vehicles while ‘Lake Song’ is filled with sadness (‘What’s the point of life?’) and ‘4U’ has complex and mathy Battles-style guitar riffs to start before thunderous drums come in: ‘It’s hard to listen, it’s hard to ignore’. ‘The Knife’ finds the band talking about sharpening the knife and veering into violence, while the closing ‘Warm’ has a glacial atmosphere as gang vocals talk about searching for victory…
Deeper’s ‘Auto-Pain’ is a record you’ll want to dig into.
