Legendary art-rock group The Residents have announced a new double disc recording, METAL, MEAT & BONE, based on newly discovered recordings of Alvin Snow (a.k.a. Dyin’ Dog), set to be released on July 10th. METAL, MEAT & BONE features 10 Dyin’ Dog Demos, 10 interpretations of the demos by The Residents, and six new works inspired by Dyin’ Dog, including a new single, “DIE! DIE! DIE!” which features Black Francis of the Pixies.
The song and video are both sinister as could be, as the project appears to serve as both a personal attack and a mass critique of society’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The visuals show the coronavirus itself on the microscopic level, albeit with a cheesy yellow smiley face, spreading around and singing very ominously. The visuals also show a pile of dead bodies building, as well as President Trump’s face on the virus, as the band makes their message clearly known. All the while, the music accompanying the mystifying visuals is eerily calm, and is an ingredient to an overall eye-opening multimedia experience.
The Residents managed to get in a live performance just before the coronavirus pandemic began to shut the live music world to a halt. The band performed their legendary 1988 album God In Three Persons at New York City’s MoMA in late January just before the shutdowns began.
The Residents have have never conformed to any type of normalcy, as they have never shared their true identity since their careers started back in 1965. The band didn’t release their first studio album, Meet The Residents, until nine years after the band’s formation, and have released over 60 studio albums, videos, and short films since. Their music has been critically acclaimed by AllMusic, Pitchfork Media, Rolling Stone, and other top sources.
Check out the METAL, MEAT & BONE cover art below:
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
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