Review: Viet Cong - Viet Cong
By Eli Schoop, Contributor
[Jagjaguwar; 2015]
8/10
Key Tracks: “March Of Progress,” “Bunker Buster,” “Death”
It feels customary to preface a Viet Cong review by mentioning its formation at the remains of now-defunct Women. With Chris Reimer tragically passing away, the Calgary quartet's disbanding came to a new project featuring bassist Matt Flegel and drummer Michael Wallace, which can aptly be described as a continuation of the ethos that Women had previously built up with their jagged, dense art-rock.
Viet Cong's first self-titled album is a natural progression from EP Cassette, but where Cassette had a more riff-based landscape, Viet Cong is a more atmospheric and commanding release, based on grounds of subtle malevolence and discontent. Think of it as though Cassette is the younger, more naïve brother to Viet Cong's jaded, trepidatious outlook.
Yet for such a tonally numb album, the ability to go completely ape sure isn't removed. Consider the lead single “Bunker Buster.” With its screeching guitar lines and booming drums, it bears a stronger resemblance a Gang Of Four jam session than anything Women ever put out.
Much of what Viet Cong does here is characterized by its capacity for passaging and the measures taken to switch up the sound throughout each song. “Newspaper Spoons” is dragged through the dirt and given a beatdown until the harsh noise turns into synth-infused pleasure reminiscent of M83. This is not a record that doesn't take liberties with its material, and it's clear that the members of the band are bursting with so many ideas and concepts struggling to be used--it's a wonder most of the tracks aren't longer.
This is best exacerbated by “March Of Progress”, a six-minute joy divided into two distinct parts. The first is a cluttered, noisy repetition with incessant toms forcing their way into your brain, screaming and desperate. Progressing into solemn chanting over twinkling strums, the song ramps itself up and becomes an all-out blast. Its epic status is cemented as “What is the difference between love and hate?” is repeated in a markedly questioning manner. Viet Cong's ability to showcase how layered and forthright its music is never ceases across Viet Cong.
Compounded at the climax, “Death” is a stunning epic. Once again, the repetitive effect of the main riff is devolved by staggering the sequences of the song and creating rifts that punctuate the track with energetic fervor. Manic instrumentals abound as the band shouts back and forth, never giving up the energy carried intrinsically on this LP. It's really a testament to the craftsmanship and investment these musicians put in, never letting up over the 35-minute record.
Unsatisfied with just a linear path preceding a fine EP, Viet Cong has settled on a post-punk project that won’t be forgotten as 2015 progresses. Combining a fine-tuned edge with untempered aggression, Viet Cong never ceases to be jarring or uncompromising in its effort to create harmonious discord by way of slick guitar production. If you're looking for an album that is definitively challenging, look no further than Viet Cong.
