Review: The Callous Daoboys – I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven

Conceptually grand, the eclectic Atlanta sextet deliver demanding and dynamic third full-length

With 2022’s ‘Celebrity Therapist’ record picking up some momentum and plenty of admirers, The Callous Daoboys‘ third full-length arrives with the band at its creative peak. Titled ‘I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven,’ it’s conceptually positioned as a relic from a dystopian future found in the ‘Museum of Failure’. For the Atlanta group, it sees them adding emotional substance to a sound that is as eclectic as ever.

Although anchored by their mathcore sound, The Callous Daoboys have so much to offer. Whether that is on ‘Schizophrenia Legacy’s sharp metalcore blasts occasionally seguing into smooth jazz dips and a sax-laden bridge, or the bloodthirsty ‘Tears On Lambo Leather’ with its hardcore beatdowns being aided by Orthodox’s Adam Easterling. It’s a cocktail of chaos that makes moments such as ‘Lemon’ and ‘Body Horror For Birds’ seem abnormal.

‘Lemon’ sees TCD at their most “pop”. Its upbeat tempo, bass groove, and jangly guitars allow vocalist Carson Pace to be upfront. With its stirring guitar finale, it’s a mid-album highlight. It’s swiftly complemented by ‘Body Horror For Birds’. Taking a hazy, serene route, it sees Pace and guest vocalist 1st VOWS provide a moment of composure to TCD‘s often frenzied sound.

‘Idiot Temptation Force’ arrives with a hysterical Pace saying “Ugga-ugga-boo, ugga-boo-boo-ugga!,” before delivering a machine gun assault of Matthew “Marty” Hague’s drums and screeching guitars, abruptly throwing in some “Japanese city pop” for good measure. It’s safe to say, The Callous Daoboys keep you guessing. Their dizzying output is done with compelling magnetism, leaving you hooked on the chaos. For example, the opening hollow flute bars of ‘Douchebag Safari’ sound like they’d be on a Nintendo game, launching into a mix of hardcore with electronic textures.

However, their ambition is pushed to its limit in the 12-minute finale, ‘Country Song In Reverse’. Drifting in with apprehension as Rich Castillo’s saxophone swells are subtly joined by Amber Christman’s succulent violin, creating a calm before the storm. Maddie Caffrey and Dan Hodsdon’s guitars rev up and stutter with distortion as Pace screams his head off like no tomorrow. As it ebbs and flows, its structure and pacing are done with intention. From screamo blasts with fellow Atlantan low before the breeze, to auto-tune harmonies of “I love you” to mangled mathcore transitions, to a post-metal crescendo effortlessly complemented by Castillo’s saxophone, TCD end the saga that is ‘I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven’ on a high.

Unsurprisingly, ‘I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven’ isn’t entirely accessible. The heavy pop-punk/easycore punch of ‘Distracted by the Mona Lisa’ along with ‘Lemon’ and ‘Body Horror For Birds,’ are considerably the outliers. However, being accessible isn’t in The Callous Daoboys‘ DNA. ‘IDWTSYIH’ is made to be demanding and dynamic, both musically and lyrically. Carson Pace has taken the opportunity to be as open as ever, touching on regrets, heartbreak, addiction, and infidelity. In turn, it creates a broad and diverse narrative that matches his band’s stylistic scope.

‘I Don’t Want to See You’ in Heaven is a bold, chaotic, and emotionally rich statement that binds The Callous Daoboys‘ position as one of heavy music’s most inventive forces.

‘I Don’t Want to See You in Heaven’ by The Callous Daoboys is released on May 16th on MNRK Records.