Glassjaw- Material Control
Rating: 9/10
Rating: 9/10
Fifteen years have passed since Glassjaw graced the music scene and our ears with their critically acclaimed second LP, Worship and Tribute. Though the Long Island-based post-hardcore unit has released two crushing EPs in Our Color Green and Coloring Book since then, fans were hungry for more from the iconic duo of vocalist Daryl Palumbo and guitarist Justin Beck. After years of touring, recording, and cautious optimism, Material Control has been released to the masses, a reward for devoted fans who have waited patiently all these years. A band known for their massive influence, integrity, and artistic creativity, Glassjaw is one act that never lost their instinct to be and do more than the average band, and have returned once again to provide us with one of the best records of the year.
Material Control starts off with the explosive “New White Extremity,” a track previously released in 2015 as a single. The palpable energy in Beck’s riffs immediately push your face into the dirt, closely accompanied by the relentless drumming of TheDillinger Escape Plan’s own Billy Rymer, who meshes well with the intricate guitarwork and dirty, distorted bass lines and consequently shines. Coming in second is “Shira,” which blends chugging riffs with Palumbo’s wide variety of vocals influences, ranging from Fugazi to The Cure, and the bone-cutting guitar play and scathing vocals remain the trend throughout “Citizen” and “Golgotha,” which bring the metallic noise rock a la The Jesus Lizard and, to an extent, Converge like few Glassjaw songs have in the past. “Strange Hours,” the quietest track on the album, almost sounds like something you’d hear on a Sade record but it works beautifully as Glassjaw, never a band to shy away from experimentation, are frankly really good at stepping outside of their comfort zone. Here, Palumbo’s delicate, emotional vocals lends the song’s swirling soundscapes an even more dreamlike quality.
The world music influences of “Bastille Day” create an alluring halfway mark and instrumental intermission, even approaching film score territory. It’s followed by possibly one of the heaviest Glassjaw songs to date: ”Pompeii.” The seventh track promotes vigorous headbanging, and Palumbo’s earsplitting screams invites us to share in his anger over unjustifiable war. The next three songs don’t let up for a moment, burning down everything in their path: there’s the doomy “Bibleland 6,” the fast-paced punk of “Closer,” and the grooving “My Conscience Weighs a Ton” before the album comes to a halt with an eponymous instrumental track, which itself segues into the final track, “Cut and Run.” Though it feels a bit anti-climactic for a finale, it’s two minutes of glory and a suitable final blow for a band that’s hardly let up on pummeling the listener.
Running a little over 30 minutes, Material Control is a well-crafted example of songwriting economy. Virtually no time is wasted on the album as songs bleed into each other, and yet nothing feels forced or unexplored. The instrumentation is as adrenaline-pumping and professional as it was fifteen years ago despite all the various adjustments to the Glassjaw sound, and once more, Glassjaw prove why they’re regarded as a bastion of heavy alternative music. Was this record worth the wait and hype? I personally believe so, but the die-hard fans of the Worship and Tribute era may be left feeling a little disappointed. I can see this record coming off bland if you aren’t fully paying attention (or if you’re more of a casual fan), but it’s important to keep in mind that this is not, and was never intended to be, Worship and Tribute. Fans should have seen this coming as far back as Coloring Book and its rampant experimentation,so don’t let the taste of nostalgia ruin what Material Control is: a classic, mature Glassjaw album to the core. At the end of the day, no matter what you or I think, Glassjaw will do whatever the fuck they want, whenever they want, and rightfully take their place in history as some of the best noise on the planet.
Stand Out Tracks: New White Extremity, Pompeii, My Conscience Weighs a Ton
FFO: At the Drive In, Deftones, Quicksand, good music
-Zack S.
Material Control starts off with the explosive “New White Extremity,” a track previously released in 2015 as a single. The palpable energy in Beck’s riffs immediately push your face into the dirt, closely accompanied by the relentless drumming of TheDillinger Escape Plan’s own Billy Rymer, who meshes well with the intricate guitarwork and dirty, distorted bass lines and consequently shines. Coming in second is “Shira,” which blends chugging riffs with Palumbo’s wide variety of vocals influences, ranging from Fugazi to The Cure, and the bone-cutting guitar play and scathing vocals remain the trend throughout “Citizen” and “Golgotha,” which bring the metallic noise rock a la The Jesus Lizard and, to an extent, Converge like few Glassjaw songs have in the past. “Strange Hours,” the quietest track on the album, almost sounds like something you’d hear on a Sade record but it works beautifully as Glassjaw, never a band to shy away from experimentation, are frankly really good at stepping outside of their comfort zone. Here, Palumbo’s delicate, emotional vocals lends the song’s swirling soundscapes an even more dreamlike quality.
The world music influences of “Bastille Day” create an alluring halfway mark and instrumental intermission, even approaching film score territory. It’s followed by possibly one of the heaviest Glassjaw songs to date: ”Pompeii.” The seventh track promotes vigorous headbanging, and Palumbo’s earsplitting screams invites us to share in his anger over unjustifiable war. The next three songs don’t let up for a moment, burning down everything in their path: there’s the doomy “Bibleland 6,” the fast-paced punk of “Closer,” and the grooving “My Conscience Weighs a Ton” before the album comes to a halt with an eponymous instrumental track, which itself segues into the final track, “Cut and Run.” Though it feels a bit anti-climactic for a finale, it’s two minutes of glory and a suitable final blow for a band that’s hardly let up on pummeling the listener.
Running a little over 30 minutes, Material Control is a well-crafted example of songwriting economy. Virtually no time is wasted on the album as songs bleed into each other, and yet nothing feels forced or unexplored. The instrumentation is as adrenaline-pumping and professional as it was fifteen years ago despite all the various adjustments to the Glassjaw sound, and once more, Glassjaw prove why they’re regarded as a bastion of heavy alternative music. Was this record worth the wait and hype? I personally believe so, but the die-hard fans of the Worship and Tribute era may be left feeling a little disappointed. I can see this record coming off bland if you aren’t fully paying attention (or if you’re more of a casual fan), but it’s important to keep in mind that this is not, and was never intended to be, Worship and Tribute. Fans should have seen this coming as far back as Coloring Book and its rampant experimentation,so don’t let the taste of nostalgia ruin what Material Control is: a classic, mature Glassjaw album to the core. At the end of the day, no matter what you or I think, Glassjaw will do whatever the fuck they want, whenever they want, and rightfully take their place in history as some of the best noise on the planet.
Stand Out Tracks: New White Extremity, Pompeii, My Conscience Weighs a Ton
FFO: At the Drive In, Deftones, Quicksand, good music
-Zack S.
Archival details
- Original URL
- https://metallifestyle.weebly.com/metal-lifestyle/review-glassjaw-material-control
- Recovery source
- live-weebly
- Recovery date
- 2026-07-22
- Stewardship polish
- 2026-07-22
- Preservation status
- restored
- Missing assets
- None recorded
Preserved by Bloodsoaked Media · The Archives