By Scott Hays
There’s “heavy,” and then there’s the sound of your own psyche being dismantled by a power drill. Sunderland’s Cherry Knowle aren’t here to make friends; they are here to remind you that the world is a cold, mechanical place. Their debut 7 song album, ‘Don’t Take Me To…’ is a claustrophobic slab of industrial decay, trading the cheap thrills of rock ‘n’ roll for something far more raw and vital.
This isn’t background music for a night out. It is a disturbing, monolithic collection built on tectonic slabs of noise that recall the early, dangerous heights of influences Skinny Puppy and Throbbing Gristle. It feels dark, wet, and genuinely threatening, echoing the grey skies of the Northeast through a filter of distorted electronic misery.
The real genius, however, lies in the friction. Throughout the record, there are moments where the guitar or drums feels intentionally alienated, not fitting with the rest of the music in any conventional way. It’s a jagged, discordant intrusion that fights against the machine-like pulse of the synths. It’s jarring, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s exactly why Cherry Knowle are the most exciting thing to crawl out of the underground this year.
Raw and very unpolished at times to the point where the production of the songs lack finesse with individual components within the music being swallowed up within the noise. Essential listening for the brave.
‘Don’t Take Me To…’ will be released on December 11th, on the same day as their launch party gig at The Globe, Newcastle, with local bands Claudia and Nemo on support.
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