Ashlie Brophy
From left: Elyse Clouthier, Jeffrey Halleran and Matt “Donut” Behm.
It’s hard to categorize Clean Room. The Madison-based garage punks exist somewhere between hardcore punk and stoner metal, marrying boundless aggression to sludgy, distortion-drenched guitars. Perhaps “stoner punk” would be the best descriptor, but even that seems a bit like a cop out. In short, Clean Room does a lot with a little. And the band’s newest EP, Madcity Meltdown, shows the trio at its best.
With six new songs, the longest clocking in at a whopping 2:49, the members of Clean Room are experts at economizing. Each track could go even longer, thanks to the sidewinding, fuzzy guitar work of vocalist Jeff Halleran. The title track and “Rock N’ Roll Dream” feature riffing that’s like a punkier take on Black Sabbath. And Halleran’s vocals paint a different shade of black: Black Flag. All the songs feature shout-along choruses and throat-shredding singing that would make Henry Rollins nod stoically in approval. “Sweet Muthatruckin,” the EP’s rowdy opener, is an excellent example, providing a gravelly urgency over more metal-influenced instrumentals.
But just when you think Clean Room has found momentum, they take a hard left and experiment with their sound. “Way Long Gone” sounds like a take on the Pixies, while “Heartwork” is a brief straight-edge hardcore banger featuring lead vocals by drummer Elyse Couthier.
Clean Room released the EP in conjunction with their first-ever tour. In October, they launched a cross-country trek, beginning in Madison (supporting The Dead Boys) and ending up in sunny San Diego.
Madcity Meltdown doesn’t reinvent the wheel as much as it does break it. These musicians are masters of genre-hopping, putting their stamp on different forms of heaviness without it ever feeling tired or derivative.
If you’ve got 15 minutes to spare and you’re in the mood for something loud and heavy, Madcity Meltdown is definitely worth checking out.
