“Shingles,” the latest single to come from The Exit Bags‘ new album Tower of Quiet, is a lesson in (mostly) quiet intensity. The one-man project of Michael James, The Exit Bags exist somewhere at the intersection of drone, ambient, post-metal, doom and post-punk, with little bits of other genres thrown in for good measure.
James starts off slowly on “Shingles,” building a droning buzz as booming percussion and muffled screams enter the track. As the intensity grows to an almost unbearable point, The Exit Bags switch gears and take the song in a post-punk direction with danceable drumming and sung vocals. From there, The Exit Bags make a quiet exit composed of acoustic guitar and soft drones.
Accompanied by black-and-white footage that shows the preparation for and aftermath of a bombing, “Shingles” will leave the listener thoroughly depressed by its conclusion. Tower of Quiet is out October 22 on Drongo Tapes and Joyless Youth.
