Strange Peace
{{Use Canadian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Strange Peace
| type = studio
| artist = METZ
| cover = Strange Peace Metz.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2017|09|22}}
| recorded =
| studio = {{hlist|Electrical Audio (Chicago)|The Woodshed (Toronto)|Basketball 4 Life|The Nursery}}
| genre = {{hlist|Noise rock|hardcore punk|alternative rock|post-punk}}
| length = {{Duration|m=36|s=07}}
| label = Sub Pop
| producer = METZ
| prev_title = II
| prev_year = 2015
| next_title = Atlas Vending
| next_year = 2020
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Strange Peace
| type = studio
| single1 = Cellophane
| single1date = July 11, 2017
| single2 = Drained Lake
| single2date = August 2, 2017
| single3 = Mess of Wires
| single3date = August 22, 2017
| single4 = Common Trash
| single4date = September 22, 2017
| single5 = Escalator Teeth/On and On
| single5date = September 27, 2018
}}
}}
Strange Peace is the third studio album by Canadian noise rock three-piece band METZ. It was released on September 22, 2017 through Sub Pop Records. Live-to-tape recording sessions took place at Electrical Audio in Chicago with Steve Albini, at the Woodshed in Toronto and at Basketball 4 Life with Graham Walsh, and at the Nursery with member Alex Edkins. Production was handled by METZ.
Promotion and release
On July 11, 2017, the album was previewed with the release of the song "Cellophane" via streaming, along the way revealing the title of the album, its release date, track list, cover artwork and supporting tour.{{Cite web|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|date=July 11, 2017|title=METZ announce new album, Strange Peace, share roaring "Cellophane": Stream|url=https://consequence.net/2017/07/metz-announce-new-album-strange-peace-share-roaring-cellophane-stream/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} It was also revealed that the band have worked with Steve Albini, who provided live-to-tape recording of Strange Peace during four days at his Chicago-based studio Electrical Audio, which was booked for a week by the trio.{{Cite web|last=Khanna|first=Vish|date=September 20, 2017|title=Inside the Making of METZ's 'Strange Peace' with Steve Albini|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/inside_the_making_of_metzs_strange_peace_with_steve_albini|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Exclaim!|language=en-ca}}{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Eric Renner|date=October 4, 2017|title=Watch Toronto noise-rockers METZ in the studio with Steve Albini|url=https://ew.com/music/2017/10/04/metz-studio-steve-albini/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Entertainment Weekly|language=EN}} On August 2, 2017, the group shared the second song from the album, "Drained Lake",{{Cite web|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|date=August 2, 2017|title=METZ unveil menacing new song "Drained Lake": Stream|url=https://consequence.net/2017/08/metz-unveil-menacing-new-song-drained-lake-stream/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} for which an acompaying music video was released later in October 2017.{{Cite web|last=Gaca|first=Anna|date=October 26, 2017|title=Video: METZ – "Drained Lake"|url=https://www.spin.com/2017/10/video-metz-drained-lake/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=SPIN}} The third promotional single from the album, "Mess of Wires", was released on August 22, 2017 also via streaming.{{Cite web|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|date=August 22, 2017|title=METZ preview new album with wild song "Mess of Wires": Stream|url=https://consequence.net/2017/08/metz-preview-new-album-with-wild-song-mess-of-wires-stream/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}} The fourth and final promotional single, "Common Trash" was released in CDr format along with the album on September 22, 2017.{{Cite web|last=Geslani|first=Michelle|date=September 22, 2017|title=METZ release new album Strange Peace: Stream|url=https://consequence.net/2017/09/metz-release-new-album-strange-peace-stream/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}}
Celebrating 30 years of Sub Pop, the song "Escalator Teeth" b/w "On and On" was released as a part of 'SPF30 Singles Spectacular' series on September 27, 2018.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
| MC = 78/100{{Cite web|title=Critic Reviews for Strange Peace – Metacritic|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/strange-peace/metz/critic-reviews|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Metacritic|language=en}}
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Deming|first=Mark|title=Strange Peace – METZ {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/strange-peace-mw0003086664|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=AllMusic|language=en-us}}
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = B+{{Cite web|last=Ryan|first=Kyle|date=September 18, 2017|title=Metz unites with Steve Albini to expand its attack on Strange Peace|url=https://www.avclub.com/metz-unites-with-steve-albini-to-expand-its-attack-on-s-1818525393|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=The A.V. Club|language=en-us}}
| rev3 = DIY
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Daly|first=Rhian|title=METZ – Strange Peace|url=https://diymag.com/2017/09/22/metz-strange-peace-album-review|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=DIY|language=en}}
| rev4 = Exclaim!
| rev4score = 9/10{{Cite web|last=Khanna|first=Vish|date=September 22, 2017|title=METZ Strange Peace|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/metz-strange_peace|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Exclaim!|language=en-ca}}
| rev5 = The Irish Times
| rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|last=Keane|first=Brian|date=September 21, 2017|title=Metz review: Hardcore made even harder by Steve Albini|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/metz-review-hardcore-made-even-harder-by-steve-albini-1.3225161|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=The Irish Times|language=en}}
| rev6 = Mojo
| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite book|last=Chick|first=Stevie|url=https://archive.org/details/mojo-december-2017/page/94/mode/1up|title=Mojo – December 2017|publisher=Mojo|year=2017|pages=94|language=en}}
| rev7 = Paste
| rev7score = 7.8/10{{Cite web|last=Hart|first=Ron|date=September 21, 2017|title=METZ: Strange Peace Review|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/metz/metz-strange-peace-review/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Paste|language=en}}
| rev8 = Pitchfork
| rev8score = 7.6/10{{Cite web|last=Reyes-Kulkarni|first=Saby|date=September 23, 2017|title=Metz: Strange Peace|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/metz-strange-peace/|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Pitchfork|language=en}}
| rev9 = Record Collector
| rev9score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite web|last=Moores|first=JR|date=October 2017|title=Strange Peace – Record Collector Magazine|url=https://recordcollectormag.com/reviews/strange-peace|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Record Collector}}
| rev10 = Under the Radar
| rev10score = {{Rating|7|10}}{{Cite web|last=Butler|first=Will|date=September 19, 2017|title=Strange Peace|url=http://undertheradarmag.com/reviews/metz_strange_peace|access-date=October 26, 2020|website=Under the Radar|language=en}}
}}
Strange Peace was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 78 based on nineteen reviews. The aggregator AnyDecentMusic? has the critical consensus of the album at a 7.4 out of 10, based on twenty reviews.
Track listing
{{tracklist
| all_writing = Alex Edkins, Chris Slorach and Hayden Menzies.
| total_length = 36:07
| title1 = Mess of Wires
| length1 = 3:29
| title2 = Drained Lake
| length2 = 3:05
| title3 = Cellophane
| length3 = 4:13
| title4 = Caterpillar
| length4 = 3:15
| title5 = Lost in the Blank City
| length5 = 4:28
| title6 = Mr. Plague
| length6 = 2:39
| title7 = Sink
| length7 = 3:50
| title8 = Common Trash
| length8 = 3:14
| title9 = Escalator Teeth
| length9 = 0:47
| title10 = Dig a Hole
| length10 = 1:15
| title11 = Raw Materials
| length11 = 5:57
}}
Personnel
- Alex Edkins – lyrics, vocals, guitar, songwriter, producer, recording, mixing, art direction
- Chris Slorach – bass, songwriter, producer, mixing, art direction
- Hayden Menzies – drums, songwriter, producer, mixing, art direction
- Graham Walsh – recording, mixing
- Steve Albini – recording
- Jeff Kleinsmith – art direction, design
- Anna Edwards – live photography
- Jonathan Bauerle – illustration
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Chart (2017) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|BillboardVinyl|17|artist=METZ|rowheader=true|access-date=October 26, 2020}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardIndependent|31|artist=METZ|rowheader=true|access-date=October 26, 2020}} |
| {{album chart|BillboardHeatseekers|11|artist=METZ|rowheader=true|access-date=October 26, 2020}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|1237672|Strange Peace}}
{{Metz (band)}}
{{Authority control}}