Album Review/ Hard Rock : Butch Against The Machine’s ‘No Hope’

For Butch IV, his music is a response to the world around him. It is a living, breathing thing that seems to have its own pulse, life, and world of its own. The artist is known for his immersive soundscapes, with grit, soul, and deep prog rock atmospheres. His latest release is ‘Chapter V : No Hope’, a collection that features cinematic alt rock, prog rock, nu metal instrumentals. Each one is more detailed and nuanced than the next. It’s a powerful call and you can’t help but answer. 

‘Hazy’ opens the collection with deep, resounding grooves. The riffs are coarse and dispersing. With roaming basslines that entangle the listener with the song, it can get quite dazing. The dramatic effects and cinematic appeal feels vintage. Think 80s/ 90s slow burn, thrillers. The textural culture and style has that raw, unapologetic feel to it. 

We see the artist leaning further into these themes in tracks like ‘Scourge of Suburbia’, ‘Per Contra’, ‘Meat Glue’ and 'Regression’. These tracks are their own, one of a kind compositions. But the raw grit and intense rock burn is a striking phenomenon and common among them all. It explores the spirit of the artist and his style. 

In tracks like ‘MCMCXII’, ‘Harvesting’, ‘Cradle’, and ‘Claw’, we see a softer rock lining. The artist takes his foot off the gas pedal and drifts with a lighter mind. The instrumentals play out contemplatively, reflecting on this state of mind and mood. They are still evocative but in a profound way.

The path is ever changing, the moods are mercurial across the album. Each song presents the listener with an energy that he must grab and go with. The compositions are compelling like that. It draws the listeners who can adapt, feel intensely and also feel light. If you get a hard core, chaotic, nu metal, alt rock power with ‘Burning Tree’, ‘Lazy’ gives you a more dissonant and futuristic feel. ‘Don’t Know’ has a spontaneity. It’s unpredictable and erratic, made to suit the theme. Like this, there’s so much the artist has put into this album. So many thoughtful patterns and secrets. The best part about listening to him is to hear for these and enjoy the artistic intention. 

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The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music! 

You can listen to ‘Chapter 5 : No Hope’ by Butch IV here -