The Melvins have offered up “Allergic to Food,” the second single from their forthcoming album Tarantula Heart.
The band manages to convey the sonic equivalent of being stricken by a food allergy and all the instant anxiety that comes with it. Unwieldy guitars clash against a foray of unrelenting percussion, immediately calling to mind the hyper noise rock of Melt Banana. And there’s no coming up for air, as Dale Crover and Roy Mayorga’s dueling drum tracks continue to compound on one another in a tornadic flurry.
It’s certainly the flip side of the slower and sludgier lead single “Working the Ditch,” though both tracks showcase the might of the Melvins’ expanded lineup on the new album.
“The way we approached Tarantula Heart was different than any other Melvins’ album,” said frontman Buzz Osborne upon the album’s announcement. “I had Dale and Roy come in and play along with [bassist] Steven [McDonald] and I to some riffs, then I took those sessions and figured out what parts would work and wrote new music to fit. This isn’t a studio approach we’ve ever taken. Usually we have the songs written before we start recording!”
Aside from releasing a new album with the Melvins, Osborne will also be hitting the road with his frequent collaborator, Mr. Bungle’s Trevor Dunn, for a Summer US tour. The Fantômas bandmates will be performing material from their 2020 collab album, Gift of Sacrifice.
Pre-order Tarantula Heart via Ipecac Recordings, and stream the video for “Allergic to Food” below.
