Bestial Mouths Express Trauma and Atmosphere on ”R.O.T.T. (inmyskin)”
Los Angeles-based dark wave collective unleashes their most empowering album to date
After almost a decade under its belt, Bestial Mouths is still a shape-shifting collective. What started as a group with numerous lineup changes became a vehicle for vocalist Lynette Cerezo to express her lyrics of personal trauma and tribulations. Alongside instrumentalists Brant Showers and Matthew Tucker, Bestial Mouths displays a sound that brings together the gothic elements of post-punk giants Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Cure, and Depeche Mode with some industrial electronic twists. With a full-length album and EP under Cerezo’s belt as Bestial Mouths’ defacto leader, the newest follow-up, R.O.T.T. (inmyskin), is a remarkable step forward.
R.O.T.T. (inmyskin) begins with “The Knife.” The fast-paced nature of the song and the repetitive yet memorable chorus line of “I guess this pain is mine, I guess the fault is mine” launch the album off to the races. “Vast Murmur” features ethereal vocals in the subdued verses that crescendo to a bed of layered synthesizers in the chorus, creating a rich wall of tonality. Spoken word sequences and buzzing drones signal the following track, “Never Did I.” These elements, along with processed percussion and harmonized vocals, lock the listener into a seductive trance. The characteristics of the dark wave genre lend themselves to creating chilling atmospheres. The one on “Mind Tears” is a prime example, with throbbing bass and whispering vocals. The song builds further with cascading sound effects, vocals, strings, and other instrumentation.
Flipping the album over to side two, “Slitskin” is one of the album’s anomalies that follows a traditional “verse-chorus” structure. Even though synthesizers do most of the work, the subtle layer of live drums is a welcome addition. The catchy chorus has a vocal melody that is infectiously memorable. The delayed vocals in “Hex (The Spell)” are dry and upfront to where it becomes the focal point of the verses. Swells of synthesizers in the chorus fill up the song. While the arrangement of “Only Dead Fish” fits within this record’s wheelhouse, its lyrics strike a more poignant chord. “Our world is certainly blind, uncover our eyes” is a profound closing lyric that suggests sinister connotations to our world. The meaning is clear: if we sheepishly follow and flow, we will all become dead fish. The use of an acoustic piano further provides musical drama. The twisted imagery proceeds further in “Innards,” where the protagonist holds someone captive spiritually. The sense of unease heightens with fast arpeggiated chords and finishes with an orchestral flourish. The album reaches its climactic finish with “Road of Thousand Tears.” Out of the many dark ambiances created with this record, this track offers some resolution with its uplifting chord sequence and melody. Lynette provides some lyrics in Spanish.
The intriguing album cover shows a heavily disguised Cerezo donning a jewelry headpiece, becoming one with the earth’s soil. The alternate shot on the printed insert is more striking with its intricate use of makeup and special effects. Despite the visible hairline scratches from the dreadful black paper sleeve that housed the record, the heavyweight vinyl pressing from Czech Republic’s GZ Vinyl played back quietly with no surface noise.
Greg Reely did a solid job with the album’s digital mastering but GZ Vinyl’s crew of anonymous lacquer cutters make it hard to decipher who handled the vinyl mastering. Regardless, the sound quality holds up incredibly well. Between moments of well-rounded bass and buzzing synthesizers, the electronic programming is executed precisely with the correct EQ that hits the sonic sweet spots.
The core of Bestial Mouths’ established direction is the deeply personal lyrics and bleak musical atmosphere. Producer Rhys Fulber peels back some of that instrumental tension and reveals a more empowering element to their sound with standard song structures and impactful choruses. In essence, R.O.T.T. (inmyskin) is an album that marks a maturity in Bestial Mouths’ ongoing career.
