Album Review: Screaming Headless Torsos — Code Red

This charmingly-named outfit weds aggressive, metal-riffage styles to funk textures (a la Red Hot Chili Peppers), and some hip-hop vibe. The result is difficult to pin down, but it’s a mite compelling. Equal parts Metallica and Parliament/Funkadelic, this is easily one of the more boundary-pushing releases of this year. Pig squeal guitar, shouted choruses and alluring lead vocals are all blended together in an appetizing sonic stew. Unusual and not (by any stretch) easy listening, Code Red is well worth the effort it demands of the listener. This delightfully varied album heads in many directions, and it’s a thrilling ride.
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About the Author

Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, will be published in 2021 by HoZac Books.