What image does the title of Chat Pile’s new full-length Cool World conjure up? It could be simple irony; a doubling-down of the themes explored on the band’s acclaimed debut God’s Country; the failures of America, the failings of humanity. It could be an inverted reference to the state of our planet’s ecology. It could even be taken literally; our planet is patently full of wonderful things, yet we’re doing a terrible job of caring for and advancing it. If none of these spring to mind, it might even remind you (if you’re a cinephile like Chat Pile frontman Raygun Busch) of a long-forgotten ’90s film with the same name.
The irony of God’s Country’s title is easy to grasp, once Busch’s lyrics brutally laying bare a host of American failings have punched you square in the face. Conversely, Cool World’s ambiguous title mirrors its lyrics which, this time around, are more cryptic, if no less violent, macabre and human. The band’s music is equally hard to pin down, leaning further into the band’s love of menacing sludge metal and featuring copious eerie melodies that feel almost accessible. Because, in spite of the mercurial, heavy music and complex, philosophically punishing lyrics, Chat Pile remain a giddily fun proposition. Cool World, out now via The Flenser, isn’t fun in the intellectual sense, quite the opposite. But in terms of the head-spinning effect of their titanic riffs and relentless energy, it’s the most entertaining house of horrors you’ll ever be breakneck wheeled through.
Like the best ride or transgressive film (the kind its creators are so keen on), Chat Pile understand that peering into the darkness can be an electrifying and cathartic experience. Keep telling (and lying to) yourself; it’s only an album.
We spoke to vocalist Raygun Busch and bassist Stin about Cool World, movies, the unexpected success of their debut and more.
Treble: I remember an interview from around the time God’s Country came out where you talked about wanting to change people’s image of you as “nihilists”. Is it a goal you feel like you have accomplished?
Raygun Busch: I hope so. If not, this album will shatter that illusion, if anyone’s still holding onto it.
Stin: With those first two EP’s, the subject matter is a little more murder-based (laughs). It wasn’t as politically minded as our recent stuff. People would be hard-pressed now to think that we’re just these edgy, psycho guys.
RB: There’s also a lot more live footage of us out there now, so people can witness our vibe.
Treble: Were you surprised that so many people embraced God’s Country?
S: Oh yeah. We had no idea. We knew there was a small base that were into what we were doing, but then it blew up. It’s definitely a dream come to true; to be able to create art that seems to be striking a chord with people. People tell us that that record changed their life and the fact that people feel like that is otherworldly.
RB: Yeah, just today Pitchfork put out a list of the 100 best songs of the decade and we’re on there. It’s just crazy. It’s wild. No-one expected it.
Treble: In the press release for this new album you talk about wanting to “stretch the definition of our sound beyond noise rock.” How did you go about that and do you think you achieved it?
S: I don’t know if we achieved it. For instance the songs “Shame” and “Masc” on this one really lean into the more alt/indie rock side of Chat Pile. That’s definitely an area we occupy that we skidded hard into this time to entertain ourselves but also show people that we can do other stuff.
RB: I think “Frownland” also has a hard post-punk vibe. Then “Camcorder” is straight-up sludge. That’s sort of the centerpiece of the album.
Treble: It’s interesting hearing you highlight all that, because to me this album feels like you’re really leaning into your groovy, sludge metal side.
S: It’s funny you say that because when we started writing, Luther Manhole (guitars) and I kind of deliberately said that we wanted to make it more direct, like the first EP. That’s definitely our sludgier side. It’s something we were consciously trying to do. In my mind we tried to make our heaviest record, but in some ways it’s probably also our most accessible.
Treble: Does the finished album resemble the thing you imagined when you were writing and recording it?
S: I think it does, to a certain degree. I wanted to make a more evil-sounding record and we ended up with more of an indie album (laughs). But in the sense that all the songs are shorter and more to the point, we definitely accomplished what we set out to do.
RB: I couldn’t be happier. I think it’s heavy. It may not be heavier overall than God’s Country, but it has heavier moments.
Treble: Something else I noticed in the press release for Cool World was you talked about the lyrics being “blow up from the micro to macro scale.” I felt like God’s Country was already macro-scaled, how do these lyrics differ?
RB: I hear what you’re saying and I love that, because I want there to be layers and to keep things vague so they can be interpreted in different ways. But I guess what I meant by that was that the EPs and God’s Country sailed close to the plains in terms of a narrator. They’re here, they’re in Kansas or Dallas. I wanted to get out of the plains and over the seas.
Treble: On that note, In comparison to the immediate punch of your last record, I feel like these lyrics generally take a bit longer to land their blow. “Shame,” however, is just instant and so visceral. Is that track an extreme encapsulation of the album’s themes?
RB: Yeah that one’s a result of the current news cycle in Palestine and elsewhere. There’s no “Why” on this album. I die a million deaths when people say the lyrics to that song are “childlike.” It’s a humane question with no easy answer. But this one has a super simple message and it’s obvious what it’s about. However, “Milk Of Human Kindness” is about the same thing.
Treble: What is this thing?
RB: War. Humanity’s greatest shame. All the horrible things. Our ecology is collapsing, people are underwater on the East Coast right now. Crazy shit is happening and we’re focusing on, not even war, genocide.
S: There’s so many issues that could be fixed with the resources available to use and we use them to inflict more violence and damage and problems. I say “we”; it’s the powers that be. For me “Shame” is the most emblematic song of the record’s themes. That one is the thesis statement, for me anyway.
Treble: It feels a bit callous to move on to this now, but I’m desperate to talk movies with you guys, because you talk about them so often. Do you ever use the language of movies when you’re coming up with the shape, textures or emotional vibe of your music?
RB: Definitely. Movies are such a huge part of my existence. There’s definitely songs directly inspired by them, although I hate it when people are like “so all your songs are inspired by movies?” It’s just a part of it.
S: Not to put words in your mouth, but lyrically you’re really good at telling a story cinematically. I wish I could say the same about writing the music, but we’re more chained to our influences and conventions. I wish I was enough of a genius to tell a story with my guitar or whatever, but it’s more just a case of “this riff sounds badass” (laughs). Although I do like to think that we create tension in a way that could be cinematic.
Treble: What are your top three movies of the year so far?
RB: I’ll go for horror films, because that’s on-brand. Number three: Stopmotion. I love any movie that’s about the artistic process and how horrible it is. I also love claymation. Number two: In A Violent Nature. The log splitting scene. Wow. It’s so slow and amazing. Then number one: The Devil’s Bath. It’s one of the bleakest movies I’ve ever seen. People romanticize living in the 1800s and this film shows how bad and gross it would be. Highly recommend it.
Treble: Awesome list. Finally, if Cool World was a film, who would direct it?
RB: Well, Cool World is a film. But you mean ours? Ah man. Maybe Denis Villenuve? The guy that made Prisoners and Incendies. I want him to stop making sci-fi and get back to the real world. Mike Flanagan maybe? He’s apparently been bought in to save The Exorcist. I don’t think they should make more, but he’s gonna be the guy. I like him a lot.
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