FPU is in the bottom half for me and I can't really put a finger on why. I guess I just don't like that sludgier heavier sound quite as much as the others. FPU is still an all time favorite record so I don't want to undersell it or anything because it really is fantastic, but for me I prefer the groovier ETID like TBD or LT. "We'rewolf" has become my favorite ETID song if only because it so perfectly represents what this bands about. It's both a funny, ironic concept but it also has some tragic depth to it. The idea that you are bitten by a "party animal" and transform into this uncontrollable beast once you're in a party setting is a funny concept, but it's also quite tragic to realize that there's a theme of dependency on alcohol to have a good time and it's kind of causing the character of the song to spiral out of control. Plus that song is just groovy as fuck
I didn't really think about it this way before, and sorry if this is obvious or was discussed before, but I think this video is symbolizing the destructive power of addiction... it also connects to the lyrics, "I want oblivion all the time", etc. Probably my favorite video of theirs honestly.
The reason why I love From Parts Unknown is that the album came out of left field, and truly had the same tenacity as Hot Damn! It's just creative, fast, engaging and truly ETiD sounding. Thirst and Decayin' With The Boys are some of the funnest tracks they've ever written. Compared to the two albums they released prior to it, I felt like the band was able to let people know that they simply weren't done and that they can not only keep up with the younger generation of bands, but that the sound differences in previous albums was by choice and not because of influence or change in taste. These guys have a real niche and they own it, bar none.
They do a good job of keeping their core sound but giving each record it's own flavor. HD was pure rock n roll mixed with metal, GP was more rock oriented, TBD is very southern rock influenced with some twang, NJA screams punk rock, Ex Lives is probably their grooviest and catchiest, FPU is total sludge metal worship, and LT draws from some 90s metal and alt rock. They know their formula and they know how to keep it fresh
They have sludgy moments. Indian Giver, Bimbos, fear and trembling, moor, roman holiday... I don't agree that FPU is sludge metal worship. If anything FPU is thrash worship.
I got into them with Gutter Phenomenon and really loved them when TBD came out. I love twangy southern music and when I started listening to them they were described to me as southern metal (I think they had a shirt that says "southern metal from New York"?). I was less into NJA, maybe because it didn't have that element, but I listened to Ex Lives a ton and I'd probably rank that second to TBD. I need to listen to FPU and Low Teens more. Should probably go back and revisit Hot Damn as well. It was never my favorite because Keith didn't sound great then. Anyway they're all good albums
FPU definitely has some sludgy moments to me. I'd probably say that about Ex Lives but I can't remember much about that album right now.
I don't think anything they do is "worship." They do not go into the studio with a mindset of yeah let's do this specific sound. Moor isn't even remotely "sludgy" which is such an awful word to describe any music. It's just heavy. A truly eerie beginning with an almost theater show build up, into a very heavy power riff and more of Keith's amazing delivery. Bimbos also doesn't even remotely fit that category of what you're referring to either in my opinion.
I mean I don't literally mean it's a sludge album or that they're worshiping sludge metal and ripping it off or anything like that, but there's definitely moments on FPU that have both sludge and thrash metal influence. Sludge metal is an actual genre of music lol. FPU is probably their straight up heaviest album so that's where I was making that connection. Of course songs like "Moor" aren't really that but that doesn't mean the influence isn't there
Thrash is something I love to use when I talk about this band. Sludge being derived from a noun, and being associated with acts like Mastodon, AiC, Torche makes it very hard for me to connect this band with that sound. They're a metal band that found a niche, somewhat got mainstream notoriety for it, and then managed to continue to grow that unique blend of metal, southern rock, and thrash to stay relevant this many years later. This band is just on their own level, in their own playing field. It will be a truly sad day when they let it go.
Low Teens and FPU are easily my favorites. They just keep getting better and better honestly. Got tickets to see them in Erie tomorrow and can't wait. Haven't seen them in a tiny venue in about 5 years
I think any of Ex Lives, FPU, and Low Teens could be my favorite. Maybe Low Teens at this point. I like all of their records before Ex Lives, but that is the album that really rocketed them into greatness for me. Low Teens basically distills everything I think this band does well into one powerhouse album, and for that I think it could be their best.
Low Teens also has quite a bit of experimentation on it which is pretty rad. "Two Summers", even if it is just a rock song essentially, still has that ETID flavor to it. "It Remembers" has this goth-y feel to it, theres little hints of an acoustic guitar in "Religion Of Speed" and that creepy organ from "Moor" makes a small return at the end of "Awful Lot" plus Keith has really become quite the versatile vocalist. Also and idk if this has been mentioned in the thread yet but i love this bands sense of structure, a lot of the songs just go all over the place structurally with no real discernible chorus and these huge bridges or breakdowns, they also have a pretty good mastery of tempo and when to change it up while still sounding so smooth.
This is something I've talked to my buddies about a lot in the past. There are so many times when I'll say, "the bridge in song x is really great" and they'll have to ask "which bridge?" haha. They have some more straightforward songs (Wanderlust and It Remembers) but then you have something like Just As Real which goes in so many different directions, but they pull it all off. All of their songs/albums have a cohesiveness to them that I really appreciate and respect. Never does it feel strung together haphazardly or thoughtlessly.
This is my favorite band. I don't think I could say that when Legs was in it before Low Teens(although still top 3 or 5 bands). Once Daniel came in, he brought in this pedegree that I think is the best fit for this band from a history of bands that I love as well. I mean, I can never not like reading about this band. After every show they have I search "ETID" and "EverytimeIDie" Instagram tags just to see what shenanigans went down.
FPU is so good and aggressive that by the time you get to Idiot, you're almost wishing for something somber.