With their 2022 debut album,
God's Country
, Oklahoma City band
Chat Pile
presented a vivid and tormented breed of sludge metal power, marked by uncommonly discernible lead vocals that looked sociopolitical horrors dead in the face. Their second album,
Cool World
, is an even more clearly defined rendering of the group's sound. The influence of '90s heavy music institutions like
the Melvins
and
Nirvana
is even more pronounced, with opening track "I Am Dog Now" hitting with the churning intensity of
the Jesus Lizard
and "Frownland" all but quoting a
riff from
In Utero
. As with
, clearly audible lyrics address the horrors and isolation of a capitalist society, this time around even adding hints of melody and ugly hooks. The production throughout is more varied and rife with tension, bringing
's dire perspectives into a sharper focus. ~ Fred Thomas