It took a while for me to pick up on this band, but boy, am I happy that I did! The American industrial metal outfit 3TEETH has been around for about seven years and impressed many around the globe, including bands like Tool, Rammstein and Ministry who all took the band with them on tour throughout their existence. Now they’re back with a third release ‘METAWAR‘ and first one on a big label with Century Media Records and that’s where I picked in.

And that Ministry took 3TEETH under their wings at some time, is not too surprising. Their music brings the same relentless industrial metal stomping with political and socially aware lyrics like Ministry. You also won’t be too surprised that the band and frontman Alexis Mincolla have named the band as one of their major influences on several occasions. Similarly you can find the cold chaos from Nine Inch Nails and the psychotic sound of early Marilyn Manson laced throughout the album, including Alexis‘ vocals that often sound as a carbon copy of Mr. Manson. Again in a way not too surprising when you know that the producer and main technician for ‘METAWAR‘ was Sean Beavan, who is known for mixing some of the most iconic records of both NIN and MM.

The whole album through you get the harsh, cold machine-like beats that are so typical for industrial music. But at the same time they manage to shoot damn infectious hooks at you that’ll crawl in your head to nestle down there. The feverish sound brings a sense of urgency and doom that matches perfectly with their views on social matters and how fucked up this planet is. Tracks like ‘AFFLUENZA‘, ‘EXXXIT‘ and ‘ALTÆR‘ are all industrial metal/rock gems where harshness and melodies are perfectly intertwined. And their anti-government statements and social criticism in the lyrics are actually well thought through. Just look at ‘PRESIDENT X’, in which they don’t take a stance against Trump as the president, but rather against the political system and the president “character” overall, no matter who is fulfilling that role (hence the “X”).

They close down the album with a cover of that obnoxiously irritating song ‘Pumped Up Kicks‘ from Foster The People. This version is way more easy to stomach, where the dark and foreboding tone actually fits with the track.

Overall, 3TEETH didn’t necessarily do anything new here but managed to give a second life to an industrial sound that was popular in the heydays of Ministry, Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson. And that makes me somewhat giddy, I truly love the music from that time. They didn’t just copy, but added their own personality to the sound. The music, themes and artistic vision is impressive and I can see these guys grow only bigger and bigger. If you want a more 50/50 blend of electronic and guitars, I highly recommend their 2 earlier albums as well, they’re killer!

FFO: Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson
Tracks to check: EXXXIT, PRESIDENT X, ALTÆR

Release date: July 5th, 2019
Label: Century Media Records
Tracklist:

1. HYPERSTITION
2. AFFLUENZA
3. EXXXIT
4. AMERICAN LANDFILL
5. PRESIDENT X
6. ALTÆR
7. TIME SLAVE
8. BORNLESS
9. SURRENDER
10. SELL YOUR FACE 2.0
11. BLACKOUT
12. THE FALL
13. PUMPED UP KICKS