The Church of the New Perversion EP |Devils Union Ent./Wormhole Records, 2010|

1. New Perversion, 2. Anti American Idol, 3. Dig You Like A Grave, 4. Know Your Enemy

Los Angeles based guitar driven bands share many similarities. There is a distinct sound and feel more often than not when you listen to the majority of Californian rock and metal music. This common thread emerges in many albums recorded over the last 30 years by bands like Coal Chamber, Devil Driver, L.A. Guns, Dokken, Guns N' Roses, Hole, Jane's Addiction, L7, Megadeth, Metallica, Methods of Mayhem, Motley Crue, Quiet Riot, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against The Machine, Ratt, Slayer, Suicidal Tendencies, System of A Down, Tool, Van Halen, Warrant, WASP and so on, and so on. Some of the musicians who hail from this region lack self-control and carry themselves with an over-expressive, stereotypical rockstar attitude that crosses over into a subculture of psychologically subconscious artistic expression. Music seems to be the hallowed ground of the Kill City scene, but it may just be that the hot Sun constantly shining over California has mystical properties that improve upon particular forms of creativity and energy.

Skumlove is a band from Los Angeles, so their EP has an expressive nature relative to the Southern Californian sound as well. Their chances at far reaching fame and success are easier in comparison to bands from the East Coast of the United States or other regions of the world since they haunt Hollywood with a sound ahead of its time. Supportive clubs, concert halls and recording studios leave them open to a staggering circle of rockstars and music producers who share in their passion.

The newest EP, The Church of the New Perversion, seems to be a step towards the direction of hard rock. However, you can still hear the echoes of industrial metal vibes. Such traces can be found in the song "New Perversion", which is reminiscent of classic Marilyn Manson with strongly accented choruses. There is also a video for the song which showcases a mixture of both erotic and Catholic content. Some people consider it extremely controversial.
Other songs on the EP like "Anti American Idol", "Dig You Like A Grave" and "Know Your Enemy" are heavily guitar and bass driven compositions in the context of tunes bearing a striking similarity to albums by White Zombie, Static-X, Van Halen and The Union Underground.

Skumlove has procured an overwhelming and faithful fan base that has painstakingly grown throughout the last few years. The new EP contains very hooky and easy to remember choruses as well as a lot of heavy guitar riffs that deliver a rock sound that is uniquely combined with very cool arrangements. The format should be attractive enough to grab even more new fans.
Furthermore, a full new LP from Skumlove is rumored to be released sometime this year and will feature guest appearances of musicians such as Tommy Victor (Prong, Ministry) and Tony Campos (Prong, Ministry, Static-X, Asesino) amongst several other artist who took part in recent recording sessions.

While awaiting the release of this upcoming full length album, consider getting The Church Of The New Perversion EP as a nice introduction to the modified and much heavier sound of Skumlove.

(Katarzyna 'NINa' Górnisiewicz, 06/28/2010. Proofreading: Scott M. Owens. Must not be used for promotional or commercial purposes. See a Legal Note for the copyrights below)