Within/Without by Houses of Heaven

Oakland’s Houses of Heaven fuse the grit of early industrial with dizzying hits of EBM, techno, and drum & bass, all imbued with lyrical themes that draw equally from the emotional and the mechanical. Within/Without, their sophomore LP for Felte, delves into a realm of intricate intensity, pushing electronics to the forefront with the production prowess of Matia Simovich (INHALT), and features top-of-their-game guest vocals from Douglas McCarthy (Nitzer Ebb) and Mariana Saldaña (BOAN).

While the dub-influenced, shoegaze throb of Silent Places (2020) immersed itself in the paradox of opulence against the unsettling backdrop of California’s wildfires, Within/Without confronts social order through the lens of inner strife. Opener, “Strange Temptation”, sets the pace with an energetic push as overlapping, staccato synths weave around a fuzzed-out vocal directive that suggests an impasse between two conflicting states of being: “Release / control / release / control”. According to singer Keven Tecon, it “captures the sense of being emotionally confined or limited by the bonds of love”, and “the relentless pursuit of fulfillment that forever remains just out of reach.”

Within/Without explores a contrast between the fantasy worlds and unfiltered truths that define modern survival, and a yearning for genuine human connection brought on by the anxiety and isolation of technology. On “The End of Me”, Nitzer Ebb’s Douglas McCarthy brings his legendary swagger to a soaring, dark pop performance, demanding to be played at top volume on a nighttime desert drive. Justly, the band “[was] simply blown away by the raw power and melodic richness he infused into the track.”

“New Decay” wields an arsenal of strengths across a tight five minutes, as an elevated pulse and buildup seamlessly shift into a spacious, ambient passage setting the stage for “The Depths You Hold” and its head-nodding, mid-tempo punch. “Deserve” weaponizes the vocal force of Ms. BOAN (aka Mariana Saldaña), placing her at its shadowy helm, adorned with nuanced percussive programming in a moment of pure, gothy dancefloor release.

The final act of Within/Without begins with the moody textures of “Pisces” and its hushed admission that “nothing’s changed”, perhaps a comfort in the face of unpredictability. Its groove, a result of meticulous analogue tape and modular rack processing, reveals the band's dedication to a detailed vision.

“Serpent Coil” unleashes some of the album’s grittiest distortions and disorientations with a fixed gaze into a funhouse mirror of warbling oscillations. This palpable friction is resolved by debut single “Sightline”, a perfect closing statement driven by kinetic drum & bass rhythms straight out of the classic era. “Transfixed / transfixed / transfixed”, echoes the gnashing refrain – a more-than-apt summary of the song’s effect, and a potent foil to the abrupt release of its grip.

On Within/Without, Houses of Heaven truly come into their own with a distinctive alloy of electronic, industrial, psychedelic and shoegaze elements. They create a dynamic conduit for discord and harmony with a profoundly human essence, bridging interior lives and exterior pressures through visceral songcraft and deft pacing. In a cruel and technologically dominated world, emotional gridlock is rampant. Yet, in the propulsive paranoia of album highlight “Flesh Techniques”, we’re reminded that it’s often best to “breathe in / these dreams again / shake, shake it off”.

housesofheaven.com
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