2023 was a busy year for Puppet Cell. After previously cementing their line-up with the recruitment of vocalist Ryan Cronk, they were able to complete the recording of their debut album Freaks and Heathens (released in May of last year – see my review here: https://www.hotelhobbies.com/post/album-review-puppet-cell-freak-and-heathens-2023.
Hitting on the perfect combination of Cronk’s vocal (and just as importantly lyrical) ability and the band’s musical direction, Puppet Cell are now a more cohesive, dynamic unit than ever before. After the new quintet played their first gig together in November 2023 and with the year drawing to a close, Puppet Cell’s determination to move ever forward has lead to the release of a new standalone single.
Over the course of its five minutes, These Pills completely encapsulates everything that is so appealing about the band. Both lyrically and musically uncompromising, it is an epic in every sense of the word. Wonderfully structured, the song is absorbing throughout the different sections, each of which contribute to the triumph of the overall piece. Puppet Cell are truly stretching their songwriting muscles and lurking within the commanding, ferocious performance, there are moments of brooding, dark but almost seraphic beauty which mesmerise and enthral. Formidable drumming and unflinching guitar riffs introduce the track, as searing fretboard glissando in the background reflects the state of mind of the protagonist, whose woes we are about to explore. Attention to detail such as this, evidences the meticulous process that Puppet Cell apply to their arrangements.
Speaking to members of the band (drummer Paul Wray and rhythm guitarist Paul Owen) recently, it was abundantly clear just how highly they rate their frontman and as Cronk’s unique vocals join the band twenty seconds in, we are left in no doubt that another ravaging and passionate delivery awaits. As with all his lyrics, Ryan Cronk is intransigent, anthemic and emotionally charged from the first line. You head don’t work in case you didn’t know / You should try these pills and we'll see how it goes / If you can't sleep then please give us a call/ Don't be surprised if you don't wanna eat at all. Focussing on the never more topical subject of mental health, the first verse implies a dismissiveness of the suffering and that medication alone is enough to solve this most complex of problems. The frenetic opening echoes the state of confusion and instability that reigns as a turmoiled mind is torn in multiple directions simultaneously.
Elsewhere These Pills, depicts a contemplative and introspective narrative centred on the complexities of relationships coupled with the passing of time and how all too often this is frittered or wished away. Spoke to my old man / Spring took his mother / Said this is your chance / Don't wait for another / This is winter for me / And winter for your mother / Don't waste your spring / Dreaming of a summer.  There is a desire for change expressed within the lyrics (I'm hoping one day I'll have that epiphany); however, the protagonist is unable to quiet their innermost thoughts: deeply entrenched insecurity, fear of being a burden to others and a metaphorical distraction (There's a ringing that keeps fucking tearing at me) which remains eternally unresolved.
Musically, the band traverse through a range of dynamics, tempo and timbres. Each of these transitions flow organically and are expertly negotiated. Paul Owen (who also doubles up as producer as he did on the album) is a masterfully adroit rhythm guitarist; volatile verses and decisively potent choruses interweave until soon after the two-minute mark, an exquisite and hopeful guitar solo takes over but as it progresses the feeling of mistrust returns as Cronk intones, Â I hope that it's a long time till we meet/ So I can make you proud of me. As this unease grows this leads to a spectacular section of sludge metal (in which the rhythm work by Wray and bassist Rob Sutton is thunderously combustible), recalling the work of Mastodon, Baroness or even slower more deliberate sections by Gojira.
Now working completely collaboratively (much of the debut album dates back to before Cronk’s involvement), Puppet Cell have made their intentions clear and they have been rewarded. Fans of Soundgarden, Alice in Chains or even the aforementioned Mastodon would revel in These Pills – it is the best song that Puppet Cell have ever recorded. Â
Written: January 2024
These Pills is released on 26th January 2024