Exclusive EP Premiere: Jesus Wept – ‘Psychedelic Degeneracy’

photo: Chloe Whitehouse

Somewhere buried in the very Carcass-inspired content of the title track of Jesus Wept’s latest EP is no doubt an indication as to what “psychedelic degeneracy” means, but we’re at a loss. Bad acts done under the influence of ‘shrooms? What’s crystal clear from this Detroit quartet’s new four-song offering is their Heartwork-era worship, and willingness to infuse their tunes with some melodic, Americanized crunch and plenty of groove. Yeah, Carcass are obviously a notable influence, but Jesus Wept—vocalist C. Colaianni, guitarist R. Versace, bassist/vocalist N. Barnes, drummer C. McCoy—put a surprisingly accessible spin on the death ’n’ roll here.

Psychedelic Degeneracy was recorded at Bricktop Recording in Chicago by Andy Nelson (ex-Weekend Nachos, Like Rats) last March and was mixed and mastered by Christopher “Zeuss” Harris, giving a growling, razor-sharp edge to the proceedings. These tunes have serious claws. The four-tracker is set for release on CD and digitally March 11 via Redefining Darkness and can be preordered here.

Vocalist C. Colaianni had this to to say about Jesus Wept’s latest:

“Thematically, the album is a mix of sex/drug ballads and behavioral observation. We are writing about things in the world in way that suits the overall vibe of the music. In this case, it pertains to the degeneration of the human spirit and various moral constructs.”