Wayne Digital and Code 106 are beyond caring about politeness in their collaboration titled Feed K*ll Sleep. The nü-metal composition will have you gawk at its disobeying narrative, marvelously cold instrumentation, and unquestionably impactful delivery. Chad Abnett’s voice is, of course, the ultimate stimulus for sister subgenre fans to tune in and let their senses take over. The collaborators describe the video in the YouTube caption as “a view of the frontline of corruption we are faced with every day in countries like ours. A nu-core metal take on the feeling us citizens have toward our incompetent leaders.” The country they’re talking about is South Africa.
The dream-like, faraway, almost futuristic atmosphere is neatly encapsulated by the blue-tinted visuals of Feed K*ll Sleep. The moment you see the megaphone picked up, you know it’s about to go down. And sure enough, Chad Abnett is shown screaming the title with a facial expression worthy of a Stephen King book. A photosensitive epilepsy warning is suitable for all the flashing that takes place in the music video.
While Chad is taking lead with Run, peep that guitar buildup in the background. The acoustic setting is rooted in deliberately distorted sounds and clashing metals amalgamated with beautifully mixed drums. After a sonically pompous introduction, around second 37 Chad starts singing: “Losing your mind’s never been so easy/ He’s a dark horse/ The god of shame/ Who has to die for him to be certain /The rule will never be the same.” Ah! The “beautiful times” we live in must have been the primary inspiration behind the gripping lyrics. Chad employs a mix that keeps alternating between singing and growling consequently instigating an insatiable curiosity, be it through the medium of music like that of his voice, to discover the rest of Feed K*ll Sleep.
As “We don’t know!/ Any God damn thing about your kind/ Your homes designed not to find/ ‘Cause they are!” succeeds the intro, the guitar riffs in a loud upheaval spark outrage, admiration, and deep awe at their powerful notes. And hold up! Chad is not letting himself fall behind the out-of-this-world music. He picks up his screaming, throws in his growling abilities, and sets sh*t on fire: “Useless!/ The scenes try to hide/ The signs won’t let a single thing shine/ cause you’re my! Master!/ Your puny little mind is corrupted/ The whole world has constructed this! Arise!/ Before the one with the sum/ Can’t eat or sleep I’m done/ please help!” The man knows how to gradually enlarge the meaning of the record and right when you’re feeling dizzy with these heavy lyrics, he takes on the savior role and suavely sings: “Take my arms, tie me down, you’re playing god, your hole is dug.” We don’t know how many or if any of you have read The Art Of Seduction by Robert Greene but Chad Abnett is the living example of “seduce your prey by first confusing them, pushing them to fall, and ultimately being the one to catch them.”
The melodic lines present in this song are incredibly various. The song is far from being linear or structured. It explodes in extraordinary, consequential segments feeling more like a live heavy metal freestyle of sorts. “They won’t stand for this now should I believe them/ They cannot feed us/ How should I believe/ How should I believe this rat king/ Say it now should I believe! /Should I believe, should I believe In this feed kill sleep?” In this instance, we most decidedly understand and grasp the reference to the corrupt systems. Mind you, we all deal with them on different levels but for this record, we’ll take Code 106’s word for it being prevalent in South Africa.
The imposing, gargantuan instrumental dazzles in a particularly aggressive manner right around the bridge when the lyrics feel like a distant cousin of Pink Floyd’s Education: “Malicious leaders/ A process in which leaders by dint/ Of their destructive behavior and or/ Dysfunctional characteristics/ Inflict serious and enduring harm on their followers/ Their organizations/ And non-followers alike.” The perfect head-banging drop takes place the second the bridge concludes. Irreproachable band, fantastic voice, irrefutable artistry.
There’s a lot of solemn dignity that flows from Feed K*ll Sleep, a nü-metal arrangement schemed to render a paroxysm of resistance. A composition that will highly please Heavy Rock, Metalheads, and independent thinkers.
Song Credits: Wayne Labuschangne – Music Producer, Sound Engineer; Chad Abnett, Micheal Botes, Anthonie Botha – Songwriters, Instrumentalists; Mark Allnutt – Second Sound Engineer.
Make sure you support both Wayne Digital and Code 106 by streaming Feed K*ll Sleep on Amazon Music HERE, on Apple Music HERE, on Deezer HERE, on YouTube Music HERE, and on Spotify below:
Written by Mariana Berdianu
Blue Rhymez Entertainment ©2021
Blue Rhymez Entertainment 