All the wrath of god, none of the salvation. This tagline eloquently encapsulates the sheer auditory savagery you will be subject to while Bible Songs 1 discharges its verses. Founded back in the summer of 1997, when Connor and I were mere tykes, The Austerity Program formulated. The trio, comprised of guitarist Justin Foley, bassist Thad Calabrese, and a drum machine, began laying in-roads on their discography, which now spans 22 years to date. In these decades they have published several EPs and a handful of LPs of which Bible Songs 1 is their latest. And at the time of this writing, the duo is beginning to etch out its follow-up, aptly titled Bible Songs 2.
The Austerity Program brand themselves as punk, though when you enter Bible Songs 1 and the first stone is cast by the relatively shrill guitar and grooving bass line, your perception of their style will likely shift, especially as the album unfurls minute by minute. Their essence, their undiluted energy is palpably intense. So effortlessly do they slather together intentionally abrasive instrumentals with witty lyrics that stoke provocative thoughts which, at times, can make you grin and at other times, make your skin crawl. Concoct these words and maniacal utterances with rhythmic pulses from their drum machine, and you are blessed with a sonic cudgeling to your cranium.
This record is the first encounter both Connor and myself have had with The Austerity Program. And we likely would never have spoken about this record, let alone know it existed, without the suggestion from Adam, owner of Constant Disappointment Records. For this reason, we thought it’d be fun to bring Adam on as a guest for this review, particularly because he has been a passionate follower of the band’s output for a multitude of years. With that being said, we want to extend our warmest thank you to him for showing us the shimmering light that radiates from The Austerity Program. Thank you for listening and we hope you enjoy our review of Bible Songs 1.