Nu-metal might not be fully back just yet, but Tallah are doing their best to raise it from the grave. The P.A. insurgents — who feature Mike Portnoy's son Max on drums and YouTube phenom Justin Bonitz on vocals — have dubbed their style "nu-core," a nod to their joint love of late-Nineties/early Aughts heavy hitters like Slipknot and Korn and modern-day metallic hardcore leaders such as Code Orange and Vein. This mix of influences is undeniably clear on the quartet's new single, "L.E.D.," a spasmodic, down-tuned tantrum that arrives alongside a very nu-metal music video in which the band members appear to be subjected to some sort of clandestine laboratory testing. The cut appears on Tallah's debut album, Matriphagy, which is due out October 2nd via Earache Records and available for pre-order now.
"L.E.D. is my personal favorite song on Matriphagy," Bonitz tells us. "To me, this is the essence of that old-school, Nineties nu-metal fused with 2020 hardcore, and some sludge. We have rapping, turntables, driving guitars, groovy drums, and some funky-ass bass, all over a weird time signature. The track is pretty weird and unpredictable as a whole. Vocally, I love to sing this song! The chorus is bound to get people pumped up, and the final breakdown should be illegal."
"In terms of Matriphagy, this song takes place right after 'Placenta,' the singer continues, speaking to the concept album's greater arc. "Lyrically, it represents a relapse (non-drug/alcohol-related). With Matriphagy being a concept album, all the songs flow into each other, especially the lyrics. The themes build and revolve around the other tracks, and 'L.E.D.' relies heavily on the messages from 'Placenta' and 'Overconfidence.' If 'Overconfidence' is about realizing your flaws/who is controlling you, and 'Placenta' is about cutting loose from that, 'L.E.D.' is about being a coward, turning back/giving in, getting angry you were not strong enough to deal with the situation, but blaming it all on someone else instead of taking responsibility for your own failure."
