Raspberry Bulbs are an act that is seemingly allergic to bullshit. Since their inception, they have bounced between different scenes and sounds, but one thing that remained constant was their adherence to their punk roots. No matter if these were infused with a primal black metal spirit in Nature Tries Again, or adorned by deathrock variations with Before The Age of Mirrors, they have never forgotten their core ethos. It is no surprise that they neither do so with their fifth full-length, The World Is Empty, The Heart Is Full.
They pick exactly where they left off in 2020, the opener of “Jack of All Toads” crushing in with its boxy snare sound and poignant basslines. The manner these two elements construct the spine of the work is on its own admiring. The plump and awkward bass brings all the attitude in the world, while the simple yet powerful drum pattern crafts this lo-fi tale. At times it feels like the pieces has been unearthed from some dark, obscure corner of the ‘80s, the beatdown in “Raise The Dead” being a prime example of that mentality. From the same era, the trio collects its post-punk and deathrock variations, shining grimly in the likes of “Tell What To Do,” or martially assaulting all with “One of Many Faces.”
The black metal past still persists, in this occasion simply flourishing the primal punk self. Its ghost still haunts the corridors of The World Is Empty, The Heart Is Full, unleashing all of its misanthropy with “Goosed By God.” There is this distinct dichotomy here, the deadly serious tone combined with a bizarre playfulness. “Erased” perfectly encapsulates these two modes, and yet Raspberry Bulbs further escalate its oppressive and brutal renditions. Early surf punk and skate punk echo through “Coard,” as a rock ‘n’ roll motif is unveiled. Brutal and disgusting, and yet precious and exciting, it carries on through the rocking riffs of “It Stays With You,” before returning to its dark, chthonian self with “In Spite of It All.”
There are many acts out there that build on a punk foundation, but there are few that adhere so meticulously to its core principles. Raspberry Bulbs do not ever let go of this primal and raw sense. No matter the noise haze they inject or the blackened riffs they throw in, their works are always punk. Through and through. This is an honesty you do not come across very often.
