FOTOCRIME – Security - CD

FOTOCRIME – Security - CD

Exploding with melodic and pummeling industrial-tinged post-punk, Louisville dark punk stalwarts FOTOCRIME erupt in an unexpectedly aggressive tone on Security. Few bands sound this immediate and energized on their fifth album, yet Fotocrime tear through Security’s ten songs in just over thirty minutes with a surprising fervor. This more guitar-driven direction may seem like a pivot, but to those in the know it’s inherent in Fotocrime leader Ryan Patterson’s musical history and DNA.

Formed in 2017, Fotocrime have released five EPs and four albums, and their fifth LP Security features appearances from drummer Jay Weinberg (SLIPKNOT), legendary vocalist Barney Greenway of NAPALM DEATH, Aaron Turner (SUMAC, ISIS), Brian Cook (RUSSIAN CIRCLES, BOTCH) and a cavalcade of veteran Louisville artists. Musician and noted producer J. Robbins (JAWBOX) also performed on several tracks and traveled to Patterson’s studio, the House of Foto, to co-produce, engineer, and co-mix the album.

Security is rife with sentiments of paranoia and impending doom. But unlike post-punk greats Killing Joke, Fotocrime never go full conspiracy theorist or espouse theories on the alien civilizations that built ancient Egypt. Security is very much influenced by Jaz Coleman & Co., and it serves as a celebration of that band’s musical output, alongside other recently passed heroes. “Killing Joke, Big Black, and Hot Snakes– these were all bands that all had musicians that passed away recently,” recalls Fotocrime frontman Ryan Patterson pensively. “Geordie Walker, Steve Albini and Rick Froberg were all so crucial to my musical growth, so I wanted to put these influences forward and channel them as much as I could, as opposed to keeping them in my back pocket and letting them manifest in less obvious ways.”

On Security, the band eschews their previous approach for a more aggressive and furious tone, one that matches the aforementioned bands along with the man-vs-machine churn of Godflesh and middle period Ministry. “There are synth textures, but for Security we had a different sort of goal,” explains Patterson. “We recorded most of the music live, and what you’re hearing is primarily guitar, bass, and drum machine. There are plenty of Soviet-era analog synths on the album, but not anywhere near the amount that there has been with Fotocrime previously.”

Tracklist:

01 Crimewave 
02 Plowjob 
03 Shockwave 
04 Unthinkable 
05 Disharmonizer 
06 Intimidation 
07 Dreamstate 
08 Cautious 
09 Grifter 
10 Security