Heavy Song of the Week is a feature on Heavy Consequence breaking down the top metal and hard rock tracks you need to hear every Friday. This week, the top spot goes to “Talk Sick” by Corey Taylor.
Something about Corey Taylor sitting in a recording studio with a guitar, fiddling around with recording techniques… it really is a testament to his dedication to the craft.
From our perspective, it seems like the Slipknot frontman has had a ton of fun making his two solo albums. His sophomore effort CMF2 is set to drop September 15th, and the latest single and opening track “Talk Sick” features notable guitar work from the man himself. Taylor played the part through a micro amp, an old studio trick used by Steve Albini on Jawbreaker’s 24 Hour Revenge Therapy.
“That sick guitar at the beginning, I played that through a speaker about the size of a coffee cup,” Taylor said in a press release for the song. “It made it sound violent; you feel like you’re being stung by bees who are playing along to the Sex Pistols.”
Speaking of the Sex Pistols, the song has a decidedly punk-ish vibe, especially the opening verses, which call to mind The Clash’s Combat Rock era.
The song is an upbeat, enthusiastic hard rocker and one of the strongest solo cuts from Corey Taylor to date. And a reminder that he can do more than just sing.
Honorable Mentions:
Guns N’ Roses – “Perhaps”
Earlier this week, we reported that Guns N’ Roses latest single “Perhaps” was leaked via TouchTunes bar jukeboxes. Seems a bit fishy, because what a perfect way to leak a GN’R song. It’s a soaring piano-based track with heavy Use Your Illusion vibes and densely layered vocals and guitar work from Axl Rose and Slash, respectively. The busy mix is maybe a tad overwrought, keeping the track out of our top spot this week, but damn if it won’t sound proper blaring over some barroom speakers.
Harm’s Way – “Devour”
Following their previous single (and HSOTW selection) “Silent Wolf,” Harm’s Way dropped another absolute ripper the form of “Devour.” The current state of metalcore is one of over-saturation, but the Chicago vets manage to stand out by combining metalcore’s penchant for complexity with the directness of classic hardcore — that latter element coming through in vocalist James Pligge’s vicious barks of intent.
Wolves in the Throne Room – “Twin Mouthed Spring”
Wolves in the Throne Room are here to remind us that winter is indeed coming. The naturalist atmospheric black metal of “Twin Mouthed Spring” is the sound of nature refracted through musical instrumentation — a hike through a wooded passage, guided by a chorus of birdsong. Soon, the leaves will wither and die, and the birdsong will cease. Some would argue that the music of Wolves in the Throne Room is more befitting of such a landscape; however, for some reason, their black metal has always seemed more autumnal rather than wintery (even if the album art suggests otherwise). A fine soundtrack for the season(s) ahead.