‘Scoring the End’ with precision

Following a short hiatus, Heavy Metal band Motionless in White is back. If listening to their most fully realized horror tendencies sounds fun, check out their newest album, “Scoring the End of the World.” Disclaimer: The events depicted in the music are based on a true story.

Over 10 years into the Heavy Metal scene and the Scranton, Pa., band has experienced quite a lot.

So far, overcoming the trappings of fame and those that the industry presents, to build a strong following of “creatures,” the quintet of Chris “Motionless” Cerulli, lead vocals; Ryan Sitkowski, lead guitar; Ricky “Horror” Olson, rhythm guitar, colead vocals; Justin Morrow, bass, backing vocals; and Vinny Mauro, drums have found measurable success.

Mixing Metal genres like Metalcore, Gothic Metal and Industrial Metal, four of their six albums topped US Rock charts and their latest work held at number two on the Billboard 200.

Using the last fews years as inspiration, Cerulli and company take 13 balanced tracks to examine the constant social and political turmoil taking place in America — and the impact of lockdown on a personal and col

lective level.

Commenting in an interview for PrimordialRadio’s YouTube channel, Cerulli detailed how the band used their latest recording opportunity as an experimental experience.

“Our producer on this record, JD, introduced me to The Algorithm in 2020, when we were hanging out a lot during the Pandemic,” he said. “I was like, ‘This is an extension of the Mick Gordon stuff and the stuff we like to do.’ I learned more about it and we ended up getting one of the programs that the Algorithm uses, called ‘lethal’ for creating our stuff to try to expand our sound.”

For reference, The Algorithm is the musical project of French musician Rémi Gallego.

Opening the album with an aggressive one-two punch, “Meltdown” and “Sign Of Life” sets the scene. The former is an apocalyptic Metal score (“Run away, run away, man-infested destiny. No escape, no escape, headfirst into the outbreak, yeah. This is our apocalypse, doomsday at our fingertips. Trigger the countdown”), that surrenders to its frenetic tempo shifts of Industrial guitar riffs and Techno sections.

“Signs of Life,” though, is airy Metal. Cerulli’s preferred style of shifting between guttural screaming and a melodic singing tone complements the idea of someone with feelings of numbness and hopelessness.

Progressing, the narrator expresses a need to push out the “negative side” referred to in the song.

Softening up, ’80s Electronica and horror elements propel the clean, flexible vocals of “Werewolf.” Additionally, flavors from Muse and Michael Jackson are thrown in.

“Porcelain” is a more stripped-down, Gothic continuation of the former, set in a Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde format, as a conversation between polar aspects of Motionless’s (Cerulli’s) personality. Both are numerous tracks on “Scoring the End” with sustained crossover, hit potential, sure to resurface during the fall months.

For perhaps their most political comment to date, “Slaughterhouse,” featuring Bryan Garris, is an accessible and smoother-than-typical Death Metal track. Lyrically, it’s focused on the political state of America and an ensuing revolt due to the rich exploiting the poor.

Contrasting another moment where Motionless is at his most vulnerable in “Masterpiece,” songs like “We Become the Night” and “B.F.B.T.G.: Corpse Nation” keep your interest long enough to let the album finish without becoming too repetitive.

“We Become” is similar to a hit from their past, “America” (2012), which really draws attention to the band’s interests in artists like Marilyn Manson and Glenn Danzig.

But at this point in their career, it shouldn’t need to be said that this group can honor influences and still add their own edge.