Album review: Throat – Smile Less

In an age where everyone is making a conscious effort not to cough on each other, the idea of contagion is a terrifying one. Smiles can be contagious, and it’s just not worth the risk, so in a smart move by Throat we’re being told to Smile Less. These clever Finns have been plying their take on noise rock for the last 13 years, however it’s only on this third album that they've dared to go darker. Still bouncy and experimental at its core, elements of ominous and atmospheric post punk have been interwoven throughout, and the end result is what you’d imagine it to sound like if Buzz Osborne got carried away remixing a Joy Division track.

Despite taking on a more brooding atmosphere for this opus, it’s more accessible than any of their previous records, at least until you reach Home is Where Your Hurt Is; an eight-minute wall of cloying reverb and bone rattling racket that has the effect of pulling the rug out from under you before delving back into the once familiar dynamic of earlier songs. Jukka Matilla’s vocals have never sounded better, alternating between a gloomy croon and erratic, punk tinged shouts, perfectly complementing moments of chaotic bass heavy chug and slightly more reserved forays into industrial.

A sudden change in the established blueprint of a band can often come as an unwelcome shock, however Throat have crafted this progression into their music so expertly that it seems strange that it wasn’t always a part of their set-up. The impending doom and gloom is a welcome addition to their trademark pandemonium and, as the title suggests, we could all afford to Smile Less.

Verdict: 3/5

For Fans Of: Big Business, Melvins, Unsane

Smile Less is released on May 14 via Svart.

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