DOWN THE RABBITHOLE

When we last caught up with Code Orange, they were already one of the biggest hardcore bands in modern history. It was right before they took to Australian stages for the 2019 Download Festival (remember live music?), and the murmurs of their fourth studio album were heating up faster than a match thrown into a barrel of diesel. 2017’s Forever had showcased such passion, ferocity and talent that it seemed as though if Code Orange were to usurp it, they’d need to reinvent the wheel. Instead, they swallowed the rabbit whole.

Especially notable in a climate where originality is as scarce as it is, Underneath landed at the turn of 2020 with a pummelling plentitude of new ideas. It’s vicious, grimy, rugged and industrial, yet it’s also their brightest and most dynamic body of work yet. It’s packed with glitches and jumpscares and production techniques that even the most creatively intoned of us never saw coming. It defies