Tras un extenso periodo de inactividad en cuanto a nuevas publicaciones respecta, y en medio de una impactante gira en Europa, Chrome regresa con un nuevo disco abrumador; Feel It Like A Scientist se lanzará el próximo mes a la venta (5 de agosto). ¿Qué encuentra en él? La fórmula inagotable de un punk avanzado, malicioso y negro, un carácter industrial perfilado en sus trabajos previos, principalmente en la legendaria época “Creed & Edge”, inclusive algunas líneas fueron escritas por éste último antes de su desafortunada partida en 1995, todo ello llevado a una matriz contemporánea.

Bajo una necesidad de contraste; de los varios lanzamientos de grupos legendarios que han visto la luz, sólo dos me han parecido a la altura de la leyenda que en torno a ellos existe; el Viva Vigilante de Sex Gang Children (2013) y el Feel It Like A Scientist de Chrome -el cual presento en el streaming que he tomado de CoS-.

Es común el escepticismo hacia las nuevas entregas de grupos que se diluyeron, un escepticismo bien justificado; por ejemplo, Wake The Dead de Specimen (2013) es decepcionante, y  el Go Away White de Bauhaus (2008) es espantoso, y así una larga lista de artistas donde algunos apenas entrados los 30 comenzaron a lanzar discos vacuos que iban tras el dinero y el cumplimiento de contrato dejando sus mejores creaciones para sus primeros años, para sus años hambrientos.  Esto, desde mi punto de vista, es producto de la mercadotecnia que rodeó a una gran diversidad de grupos y a la debilidad de sus integrantes que eran más imagen que artistas, desde mi parecer Joy Division, Bauhaus o Sisters Of Mercy son grupos sobrevaluados que hoy son famosos gracias a costosas campañas de promoción que inyectaron la “leyenda” en las masas de jóvenes que buscaban pertenencia a géneros del underground, pero que fueron grupos que no hicieron una carrera brillante y que sólo pertenecieron al rock subterráneo durante un periodo de tiempo breve. Sin embargo, aquellos que escaparon a esa entrega ciega a la mercadotecnia y a la venta masiva de sus discos, firmas de autógrafos y toda esa basura que rodea la industria musical son los que lograron trascender y ganar respeto entre la audiencia exigente, que siempre es la minoría. Chrome es parte de esas bandas con una carrera artística brillante, los trabajos solistas de Helios Creed (frontman actual de Chrome y un guitarrista de creatividad inmensa) y lo que de Chrome se hizo por parte de Damon Edge, dan fe de la grandeza del proyecto que hoy cuenta con nuevos integrantes.

Este disco es un manejo magistral de la acidez iconoclasta que se contiene en 16 temas, es una bofetada al ridículo revival indie-pop-synth que hoy está de moda. Este disco es un manifiesto de la permanencia del Underground, siempre y cuando éste sea entendido fuera de los círculos de  seudo-artistas  que sirven de maquila para una industria musical corriente encargada de parametrizar a los niños que visten y dicen aquello que de ellos, “al ser tan rebeldes”, el mainstream espera escuchar.

Feel It Like A Scientist es un disco para oídos noise, pensamientos irreverentes y jugosas exigencias de calidad. Es un disco que no pide nada, sino que suma, a sus trabajos clásicos como el Red Exposure y el 3rd From The Sun.

Accedan a la compra previa de disco, desde aquí.

A continuación, cito el artículo en el cual se encuentra todo el streaming del disco completo: TOTAL DISC

After an extended period of inactivity -concerned to new publications of the LPs- and in the midst of a shocking European Tour, Chrome returns with a new album overwhelming: Feel It Like A Scientist  be launched next month on sale (August 5). What is on the new album? The unfailing formulation an punk advanced, malicious and black, industrial character profiled on his previous works, mainly in the legendary period "Creed & Edge," including some lines were written Edge before his unfortunate departure in 1995. All band power taken to a contemporary matrix.

Under a need for contrast; the releases of several legendary bands that have seen the light, only two seem to me to rise to the legend that exists around them; Viva Vigilante from Sex Gang Children (2013) and Feel It Like A Scientist from Chrome. I will explain my opinion.

The skepticism is common toward new releases of bands; for example, Wake The Dead from Specimen (2013) is disappointing, and Go Away White from Bauhaus (2008) is lower than expected… and a long list of artists which some barely into their 30 years old began to release vacuous albums who were in search of money and contract enforcement, leaving (unfortunately) their best creations to his early years, to his hungry years.

This, in my point of view, is the result of marketing that surrounded a wide range of bands and - why not say it - to the weakness of its members who were more “images” than “artists”. From my opinión (and without denying its relevance),  Joy Division, Bauhaus and Sisters Of Mercy are overvalued groups are now famous thanks to expensive promotional campaigns  that injected the "legend" in the masses of youngs seeking membership of the underground genres, but were groups who did a brilliant career in the long term and that only belonged to the underground rock over a short period of time. However, the bands that have escaped this blind surrender to marketing and massive record sales, autograph signings and all that crap that surrounds the music business are those who managed to transcend and earn respect among the discerning and challenging audience, which is always the minority. Chrome is part of those bands with a brilliant artistic career, the solo work of Helios Creed (Chrome's current frontman and a guitarist of immense creativity) and that Chrome was made by Damon Edge, testify to the greatness of the project which now has new members and refined musical and conceptual quality.

This album is a masterful handling of the iconoclastic acidity that is contained in 16 songs, is a slap and a hard blow to revival-indie-pop-synth that is fashionable today.  Feel It Like A Scientist is a manifesto of the permanence of the Underground, provided that this is understood outside the circles of pseudo-artists who serve appendix for a current music industry, an industry responsible for parameterized to new generations, an industry that says "how to be rebels”. Feel It Like A Scientist's the sound that the mainstream does not expect to hear.

Feel It Like A Scientist's a record for ear noise, irreverent thoughts and juicy quality requirements. It's an album that demands nothing, but too sum, his classic works Chrome such as Red Exposure and 3rd From The Sun.

I quote the article streaming, presented in: COS 

San Francisco-based experimental rock band Chrome will release their first album in over 12 years, Feel It Like A Scientist, on August 5th via King of Spades. In anticipation, it’s streaming in full below.

Formed in 1975, Chrome began as the solo project of musician Damon Edge, whose work focused on the fusion of punk, psychedelic, and industrial rock, all with a decidedly Avant garde flair. By 1976, guitarist Helios Creed had joined the band, eventually becoming Chrome’s only other long-term member. Chrome’s most renowned releases came with 1977’s Alien Soundtracks and 1979’s Half Machine Lip Moves, which saw Edge and Co. reinvigorate rock with a sense of creative recklessness.

By the mid-1980s, Chrome reverted back to being primarily a solo endeavor for Edge, a status that was retained until his passing in 1995. From there, Creed rejoined as the band’s guiding creative force. For the next several years, Chrome performed together and released several albums and EPs. However, following the release of 2002’s Angel of the Clouds and Ghost Machine, the band enacted a more reduced schedule.

For Feel It Like A Scientist, Creed recruited a new lineup of musicians, including singer Anne Dromeda, guitarist Keith Thompson, drmmer Aleph Omega, bassists Lux Vibratus and Steve “Trash” Fishman, and synthist Tommy Grenas. The collective spent the last two-plus years recording at the Compound Studio, Half Machine Studios, and Sub Machine Studios in Santa Cruz, CA, with Creed and Thompson serving as producers and engineers. In addition to the band writing all of the album’s lyrics, Creed included several lines originally written by the late Edge. In a statement, Creed said, “I have the best band put together, finally. It’s how I’ve always wanted Chrome to sound. It’s what I always imagined Chrome could be post-Damon. I’ve been able to take it to the next level.”

The resulting 16-track album is something of a master class on all things Chrome, as the band deftly experiment with sounds both melodic and nuanced and intense and disharmonious. Standouts include the pulverizing industrial-meets-EDM of “Big Brats”; the acerbic garage rock romp known as “Six”; and the densely-layered goth-punk ballad “Prophecy”. No matter the influences, though, Chrome demonstrate that even after nearly 40 years and countless lineup changes, their hunger and curiosity remain just as savage as when the project first began.

Pre-orders for the album are ongoing.