Motionless in White are no strangers to the ‘Graveyard Shift’ and their fourth record is a stunning testament to their tenacity.
Now (finally) signed to Roadrunner Records, the Scranton outfit sound the most comfortable they’ve ever been with their own output. The element of trepidation that lurked under the surface of daring last album ‘Reincarnate’ has vanished, leaving in its wake a defiant collection of flawless anthems.
For a band that’s successfully dragged the gothic aesthetic back into popularity for a new generation, Motionless confidently tread the fine line between honouring their pitch black predecessors and shaping their own definitive sound. Full of Bauhaus influences, ‘Rats’ is as sinister and contagious as they come, a belittling ode that’s a slower but no less intimidating addition to their intense back catalogue. With a spellbinding guest slot from Korn’s inimitable Jonathan Davis, ‘Necessary Evil’ adds to the catchiest tracks on show and a faultless homage to their sinister company. The brutal pace and guttural vocals of Creatures-era MiW is certainly not dead and gone, however, as the confrontational ‘The Ladder’ and punishing oxymoron of ‘Soft’ stand to prove.
True to its name, ‘Graveyard Shift’ lays the band’s tireless work ethic on track. Armed with the empowering ‘LOUD (Fuck It)’, a sneaky snippet of Batman’s Joker adds to what can only be described as their most contagious track to date. The incredibly uplifting ‘570’ proves their most personal anthem on record – this band have put their black hearts and souls into forging their own musical identities and suggest that the same is possible for their fans with their lasting sentiment – “’Cause if you mean it, you will make it.”
If you’re a lady that lacks a pulse, then today’s your lucky day – ‘Not My Type’ tips its hat to both Marilyn Manson and The Nightmare Before Christmas in a seductive number that suggests necrophilia is probably the way forward for Motionless in White, even if the undead subject of their affections “she’ll use your corpse as a catwalk.” Romance lasts forever, though, as ‘Eternally Yours’ closes out with an emotional curtain fall.
An outstanding continuation of ‘Reincarnate’’s destructive manner, ‘Graveyard Shift’ is Motionless in White at their absolute finest. Punchy, haunting and assertive in equal measure, Motionless carry their signature morbid torch proudly.
‘Graveyard Shift’ is available 5th May via Roadrunner Records.
