I think it’s about time for another one of these, don’t you?  It’s the freakin’ weekend, and what could possibly spell that late summer feeling more than…post-punk industrial doom metal and a kimchi kettle sour?  Fear not on either front, dear reader.  Just drink from the cup of heresy.  This week’s offerings: Anatomy of Habit’s Paired Sentinels and Dokkaebier’s Kimchi Sour.

—

The Tunes: Anatomy of Habit’s Paired Sentinels

Astute readers of the site will notice that this is nowhere near the first time we have featured Chi-town’s own Anatomy of Habit in these hallowed halls.  They first came on my radar all the way back in 2021 with the release of Even If It Takes a Lifetime, and I just barely got beat out in reviewing the follow up Black Openings.  Now we have the fifth full-length and the next installment from the band’s longest lived lineup in Paired Sentinels, a four track treatise on repetition, memory, identity and loss.  Spearheaded as always by vocalist, lyricist and synth-ist Mark Solotroff, the band is rounded out by the rhythm section of Skyler Rowe on drums, Isidro Reyes on “metal percussion” and bassist Sam Wagster (who also provides lap steel on this release), as well as guitarist Alex Latus.  Now, doom metal and post-punk might not have a *ton* in common with each other, but one thing that they do share is the necessity for a tight and prominent rhythm section, and thankfully Anatomy of Habit not only have the talent present in those respective roles, the fact that their rhythm section includes an extra person adding extra spice on top doesn’t inhibit their ability to lock in to a tight, driving groove.  And you know what else?  I am a fan of the trashcan percussion (it’s probably not a trashcan, I know).  I think that Reyes’ work is subtle enough that it doesn’t crowd anything else out of the mix, but it also adds just the right amount of rhythmic and textural contrast to Rowe’s more traditional drums that you really get the sense that there is something unique and unconventional going on.

All four tracks on Paired Sentinels showcase Anatomy of Habit’s commitment to spectacle and their focus on long-form compositions, each featuring parts and motifs that build on each other slowly and surely, layer by layer.  By necessity, a post-punk meets doom metal meets shoegaze meets industrial band needs a lot of moving parts, but the way Anatomy of Habit structure themselves and more importantly pace themselves allows each song to grow and bloom into something special by the time the climax hits.  Of particular interest to me is how each song, but especially opener “Always Arriving,” is built around an ultra-melodic bassline that almost puts Wagster in the front as a lead instrument at times.  A good bassline really nails down the post-punk feel, and these are some great basslines; still, when it’s time to get heavy, Anatomy of Habit don’t shy away.  The doom comes in loud and clear (literally), with booming and chugging guitar riffs coupled with the atmosphere and eccentricities of old-school industrial.  Paired Sentinels is a heavy album, no matter which way you slice it, but all the percussion and lap steel and bass and drums and synths and crooning vocals come together in a cohesive picture that is smooth and satisfying.  Anatomy of Habit are a band that I think continually find ways to improve themselves and their proprietary formula, and Paired Sentinels just might be the best it has ever sounded.

---

Paired Sentinels is available now on Anatomy of Habit’s Bandcamp page.  For more information, visit their official website.

---

The Booze: Dokkaebier’s Kimchi Sour

Speaking of many parts that blend together into a cohesive whole, we have perhaps the strangest beer I have encountered in a long time on deck this week.  Mama didn’t raise no coward, though, so when I saw Dokkaebier’s Kimchi Sour at my local liquor store, I knew, for better or worse, I had to give it a shot.  As the name says, this is a kettle sour, so it’s already picking up the bright, acidic notes that kimchi brings to the table, but it’s also brewed with ginger for even more zing, gochugaru (Korean sun-dried chili flakes) for some spice and kick and Dokkaebier’s head brewer’s own kimchi starter for…well, kimchi essence.  If all of that sounds like a daunting beverage, rest assured that, just like the album it’s paired with, the pieces are all subtle and they work harmoniously.  Honestly, ginger is the predominant flavor here.  Most of what I get when I taste this is a really nice ginger beer.  And that’s kind of disappointing, because I was hoping for a lot more funk and spice and I’m just not really getting it except in small doses.  I think DKB could have leaned in harder and had something that was a little less accessible but a little more unique.  Still, this is an easy drink and it’s tasty, if a little one note, and worth a pickup if you find it out in your neck of the woods.  Just don’t be afraid of the premise.

—

Trust and believe that we will be back here again real soon.  Until then, cheers and be good to each other.

-Ian