Chmcl Str8jckt – IV Rx
Chmcl Str8jckt – IV Rx
Cleopatra Records
Release Date: 17/10/2025
Review by Beth Morait
7.5/10
Somehow, it’s 4 YEARS since I reviewed Industrial Rockers Chmcl Str8jckt’s “DRK PRGRESSN” album. 4 years??! Jesus, I really need to pay more attention because it seemed like yesterday! Anyway, if you’d like to read what I made of that, you can do so here: https://www.ever-metal.com/2021/05/07/chmcl-str8jckt-drk-prgrssn/
I really enjoyed this previous album, and the sleazy, Industrial tones that these New Jersey Outlaws delivered, so I was very happy to hear from them as they promote this upcoming release!
Opening with ‘Anaesthesia’ we’re instantly transported into the dark and dubious world that lives within the mind of Cmchl Str8jckt, and here it seems they’ve stopped off at the same dusty, isolated bar that housed vampiric horrors in “From Dusk Till Dawn”, only now it’s Shamans. And the half whispered, half growled vocals add to the atmospherics perfectly. Their Outlaw Industrial Rock genre suits them perfectly, drawing from the Wax Trax generation, but adding to it.
Lyrically, there’s some super-complex poetic language used in their songs, making you work hard for true meaning, whilst still paying attention to the music, which is scuzzy and fuzzy, and heavily laden with bass and overdriven guitars. The first track sums this up perfectly.
But we do get easier-to-follow lyrics too. ‘Love it or Leave it’ being a good example. This is more of a Classic Desert Rock track, but with the vocals of someone who’s pretty pissed off, but has smoked way too many Marlboros, and drunk too much bourbon to be able to speak, let alone sing, in any other way than gruffly! And that really is a running theme here in my opinion. An exploration of all that is bad in the world, and how we experience it and fall into self-destructive habits because of it, regardless of how much we attempt to avoid it. It’s a battlecry against the wrongdoers by the traumatised people who’ve had enough of destroying themselves because of oppression.
This whole album has an air of darkness, whether that be within our souls, or outside in the world, and the futility of existence that we perhaps are all feeling at the moment. And that really is its power. It gets hold of our darkest thoughts and drags them, naked and grotesque, into the middle of the highway for all to see. There’s a lot of religious imagery running through the album too, but not in a positive, uplifting way. More of a highlighting of the depravity and wrongdoing that exists within religious establishments, but gets ignored by followers in favour of fundamentalism.
My one criticism is there’s not a huge amount of variety, musically, until we reach the final quarter of the album. But then I have to question, does there actually need to be? Well, if you’re listening to the music for the message, probably not. But purely on an auditory pleasure level, variety would be welcomed. It does change when we reach ‘Faster Horses’ though, with this song heading for a more Country angle, but still maintaining the Industrial Sleaze feel. I’m worried the variation might be too late for some listeners though. And this is actually a cover song – one of three on this album.
The other notable cover here is The Steve Miller Band’s ‘Abracadabra’ which takes the 80s niche sound and makes it dirty! Random choice, but it does kind of work, especially with the vocals, which inject a new, dark, overtone to the lyrics, making the desire ‘I wanna reach out and grab ya’ feel very sinister.
Do I like this album? Yes, I do… but not as much as “DRK PRGRSSN”. That said, Chmchl Str8jckt are still carving out a path in their unique genre, and I think they still have a monumental amount to give, with their lyrical mastery really being the standout feature. It’s more poetry set to music, offering a disaffected life-view that we can all relate to. (I still can’t type their name without accidentally putting vowels in either!)
TRACKLISTING:
01. Anaesthesia
02. The Devil Made Me Do It
03. Conundrum
04. The Animal The Beast
05. Love It Or Leave It
06. Kill The King
07. Mercy
08. Candy-O
09. Faster Horses
10. Abracadabra
11. Buffalo
LINKS:
Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Beth Morait and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
