Modern Technology are arguably one of the noisiest twosomes on the planet. They combine elements of sludge, heavy metal, and noise rock to create an ungodly cacophony belied by the make-up of the band. Social conscious forward thinking music is the order of the day here and Modern Technology are gonna provide it. From the tortured calls to arms, to the driving drums and fuzzed out Black Sabbath bass there is little room here for quiet, and no space for inaction. Drummer Chris Clarke outlines the bands intentions to, “reflect how we can be so blind to the real threat of existence, by being focused on ourselves,” and it is clear from the outset that this audible onslaught is going to reflect like a well-polished chrome petrol tank.
The album was recorded in December of 2022 after being conceived during the lock-down period of 2020. This has led to the birth of an absolute monster. Conditions of Worth is a racket in the best possible way, from the quiet(ish) introduction on the first track ‘Dead Air’, to the swirling, psychedelic, maelstrom that is ‘Believer’, Conditions of Worth pounds the listeners mind into a saddened and angry mush, before delivering it up to Modern Technology’s cryptic lyrical stylings, your brain on consumerism is the metaphorical food for thought.
“Conditions of Worth pounds the listeners mind into a saddened and angry mush, before delivering it up to Modern Technology's cryptic lyrical stylings, your brain on consumerism is the metaphorical food for thought.”
There are some more straightforward tracks on the album, although never a bad thing, especially in Modern Technology’s case, as they deliver the most succinct and to the point version of the bands unique approach to noise. There’s shades of KEN mode in ‘Fully Detached’, the off kilter grinding bass riffs matched by the high energy drumming and reverby vocals that hit like a tsunami. In other places hints of angsty noise merchants Chat Pile come to the surface as the bass holds up a deep thwomping riff underneath the vocals. The vocals are a razor edged conveyance for the emotions that saturate the music, pain is ever present, but so is sadness and anger alongside this.
Modern Technology have produced a masterful critique of the state of the world here, covering the issues like mental health, austerity, and social degradation, as well as the impending climate disaster. They do this crammed into 45 minutes of distorted noisy bass, twisted howling vocals and huge 400 pound drum beats that leave an impression of bewilderment, confusion, but also a level of catharsis. The music is powerful, the message even more so, even the album title challenges preconceived notions of who we are, and what we’re worth in this ever deepening quagmire of late stage capitalism. To ignore any of this would be remiss.