Photo by Tim Saccenti

The future of heavy music… sounds a lot like popular nü-metal and industrial rock from the turn of the millennium? For years now, we’ve been hyping ourselves up for Code Orange to change the game with their experimental edge over the hardcore and metal scenes, and after a coupling of major label albums for Roadrunner Records, they’ve regained independence (albeit, on a new independent label founded by Roadrunner’s former heads) leading into their fifth full-length, The Above. The Pittsburg band even recorded it with indie demagod Steve Albini at Electric Audio. Still, its lead single, “Take Shape”, has a way of triggering mass appeal flashbacks of freaks on leashes and fucking like an animal, and even hears Smashing Pumpkins’ frontman Billy Corgan emerging from the plumes of dust left by heavy slabs of riffs raining down. Jami Morgan and Reba Meyers embrace the anthem wholly, and while it’s a move that will surely elicit its detractors from the shitposting gatekeepers of the scenes which the band came up from, this also sounds like the colossal shape Code Orange was inevitably destined to assume.

Directed by: Max Moore & Jami Morgan

Code Orange’s The Above will be released August 29th on Blue Grape Music.