Two decades ago ‘nu-metal’ captured the hearts and minds of a disenfranchised youth the world over. A Mind Waiting to Die sees Graphic Nature not so much redrawing that blueprint, but rather pulling it apart with gritted teeth, setting fire to it and laughing manically.
Nu-metal has always been synonymous with the marriage of rap elements and distorted guitars and though it spoke to many, it always felt a little bit American if not a little Korn-y (ed: sigh). Based in London and Kent, Graphic Nature stir drum n’ bass samples into their mix, in turn adding greater depth to their sound. This is so much more than your average re-brand of UK whatever-core. A Mind Waiting to Die is jaw-droppingly heavy and should come with a flashing images warning.
Album opener ‘404’ fails to prepare us for what lies ahead. ‘Sour’ instantaneously explodes into a cacophony of vicious, feral screams, down-tuned guitars and air raid sirens, a frantic energy that’s maintained throughout the record. Citing a string of themes including mental health, isolation, depression, ADHD, neurodivergence, mania and suicide, this plunge into chaos is only the beginning. ‘Killing Floor’ – a tale of a serial killer – even boasts a didgeridoo sample.
Weaving its way through topics close to vocalist Harvey Freeman’s heart one thing becomes apparent, not a single word or phrase lacks meaning. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, his diction and delivery are jaw-dropping; every pained scream, whisper and ad-lib crystal clear. One would be hard-pressed to find a more emotive performance immortalised on record.
Followers of Graphic Nature will already be familiar with a number of tracks featured on the album, though it takes nothing away from their initial impact. ‘Into The Dark’ for instance still hits as hard as it did the first time it fell upon fresh ears. Not wanting to record a song that lacked integrity, the original lyrics were scrapped in the studio as an epiphany moment took hold. The gut-wrenching song about broken homes and fractured relationships then came to be, standing as a testament to Freeman’s commitment to a believable performance.
It’s not strictly all doom and gloom, the two tracks that close out the album ‘A Twin’ and ‘The Downpour’ like a brief parting of clouds, invoke moments of beauty and light. The inclusion of gentle pianos on the former and a melodic chorus in the latter make for a welcome crescendo, at times sounding momentarily hopeful, before Jack Bowdry’s machine-gun-fire drumming and Freeman’s unhinged vocals swiftly guide us back into the abyss.
Graphic Nature have produced a show-stopping debut and whilst they aren’t shy about their influences, it feels cheap to make comparisons to the likes of Slipknot or Korn. Collectively, John Otto and DJ Lethal took us to the Matthew’s Bridge but A Mind Waiting to Die has us strapped into a nightmarish, high-speed rollercoaster trip through the claustrophobic depths of a troubled mind – and it’s fucking exciting.