Swedish industrial post-punk project The Below has returned, and they’re bringing an old friend with them. Formed by Bo Magnusson of ’80s and ’90s boundary-defying Dr. Evil and The Boys From Below, his new project The Below came after a hiatus from music of over 20 years. Somehow experimental and accessible at the same time, The Below crafts unique, industrial soundscapes using found objects. With the help of frequent collaborator vocalist Aaron Sutcliffe, aka Johan Malmgren of synthpop band S.P.O.C.K., who frequently does guest appearances on The Below’s songs, Magnusson has crafted a uniquely original form of musical expression.
Today, the project is debuting its latest single, “90 Seconds to Midnight,” off upcoming EP Immutable Decay out tomorrow from Accelerating Blue Fish, a collection of five tracks that were all recorded with Sutcliffe.
“The world is in a dire state,” say The Below in describing their new album,” and we’re running out of time. Mankind is both killing itself and passively observing, blind to what’s right before our eyes. We witness an increasing number of climate-related disasters, yet there are no substantial efforts to make necessary changes, with little concern for a future that, in part, is already upon us. Populist and authoritarian politicians who resort to fear-mongering, deflecting blame rather than addressing the real and imminent causes, are gaining popularity worldwide. War and armed conflicts are already underway in several places, and feel inevitable in others. The escalation in Gaza amounts to genocide, and the line ‘No Place is Safe’ tragically rings truer today than ever before. Russia’s brutal assault on Ukraine has entered its third year with no end in sight. Each passing day brings more attacks on civilian targets and more suffering.”
“90 Seconds to Midnight” is a grinding, mechanical collection of noises that somehow form into something that bizarrely resembles music and becomes, dare I say it, almost catchy. The incessant rhythm is slow but deliberate, creating a sort of rhythmic death march that’s hypnotic and oddly infectious. Sutcliffe provides fairly conventional vocals that contrast perfectly with the experimental style of the music. The stark, beautiful, and brutal black-and-white video, directed and edited by Anders Larsson at Good Evening Pasadena, contrasts religious imagery with imagery gruesome death and decay, creating a visually off-putting collection of images to rival Salvador Dalí’s Un Chien Andalou. Check out the video below.
You can presave Immutable Decay here. Follow The Below on Facebook and Instagram for future updates.
Photo courtesy of Anders Larsson
