Yüth Forever, not to be confused with Perfect Hair Forever, is a metal band out of Illinois. I've seen a number of descriptors for which genre they fall into, but the one that fits the most in my mind is hardcore. Given, this is not your standard hardcore, but the foundation is made from the same parts. More precisely, Yüth Forever incorporate djent, hip hop, hardcore, and electronic music into something more unique a la Horse the Band. The miserable lyrics seem to purposefully take all of that whiny emo relationship music to its most fitting conclusion. All of this is to say that Skeleton Youth Forever is an absolute delight.
Where to begin? From the first bouncy notes of "Suicidal Pistol Grip Pump," a backtrack that sounds like it could have been on a Dizzee Rascal album, it is clear that this LP is going to be anything but by the book. Not since last year's Brutopia from The Hell have I heard something so off-kilter and yet so strangely enjoyable at the same time. If you're into stuff like We Butter the Bread with Butter, this is totally for you. Leading single "People Pleaser" sounds like half Blood Brothers half Primus.
Harrowing hardcore screams belt out anthemic fits of sarcasm, self-loathing, and sadism. This may be one of the most cynical albums I have had the pleasure of listening to, so much so that I'm not sure everyone is going to grasp the humor. Actually, I'm not sure how many are going to be able to grasp the music either. Dissonant, warbling guitars a la iwrestledabearonce provide the backlbone of "SYF" in time with spastic blasts of low-end Meshuggah-isms. Other times strange, avantgarde soundscapes dominate tracks like "Do You?" The only constant are the screams of frontman, Devin MacGillivary.
But all weirdness aside, Skeleton Youth Forever is an album that deserves attention in 2016. It's a unique spin on the genre that doesn't try so hard as to lose its grasp on strong writing. Songs are engaging, interesting, and technically proficient. Furthermore, the lyrics and heart-wrenching delivery are extremely catchy in their own disturbing way. The placement of each syllable, guitar effect, and strike of the snare drum seem carefully orchestrated by a group of musicians who are more than a couple of kids with instruments and a bad attitude. If you're going to burn the world down, you might as well do a good job of it.