Photo by Tanner Lemoine

The length of Sprain’s new album, The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For A Spark Union With My Darling Divine, compliments its title at nearly two hours. It’s asking a lot of listeners in the year 2023 where attention spans are divided into morsels with their music consumption, but as early previews have thus proven, the Los Angeles experimental noise-rockers’ ambitions are an all-consuming experience of their audience once you let them in. The album’s final single, “We Think So Ill of You”, plays out like go-home episode before the full reveal goes down for that matter. Extremism to date climaxes here as guitarist and vocalist Alex Kent is left off the leash fully with his unhinged diatribes as every exclamation is punctuated further by exploding guitars, bass and drums in unison. Whatever terror fit this is leaves itself ringing in your ears. It’s uncomfortable, yet it’s hard to turn away now. That the rest of the audience is in a fit of laughter from this rage makes the mania all the merrier. Since you’re already in too deep, you may as well enjoy the sick show with them…

Sprain’s The Lamb As Effigy or Three Hundred And Fifty XOXOXOS For A Spark Union With My Darling Divine will be released September 1st on The Flenser.