From their first EP 'Eat The Rich', 'Follow' is a biting commentary, heading into the decaying collapse of our world. Much like their previous work, Chekhov’s Gun is known for its sharp, politically-charged subject matter, but here, we see them turning inward, brooding on societal structures that are, quite literally, crumbling underfoot.
Metal music, that's all you need to know to start with. They are calling their sound 'blackened groove-based slop', and honestly, that’s not far off. This song is a total jaw-dropper with the way those heavy, grimy instrumentals and vocals pair up. The force they have created together feels invincible, filled with anger, but, you also have to be ready for it as it hits like a wall and makes you feel like the ground’s splitting open underneath you.
Digging a bit into these individual performances, the first thing that immediately gets under the spotlight are these distorted guitars, chugging their way through tense, creative patterns, welded together. That being said, variety is a single word that holds a lot of meaning here, built around that idea of momentum, from these constantly evolving riffs, eventually giving way to a final solo. Then we have the bass, which has this deep, hollow tone, hitting those low-end frequencies with a boomy, almost tectonic rumble. It rather feels like it’s washing over you and it’s more of a slow, dense wave than something snappy or direct, unlike those guitars.
Next, we have the rhythm, which hits like a hammer through this mix. You’ve got those drums firing off kicks and snares, laying down some serious pressure on the pulse, along with these super outspoken cymbals and open hi-hats crashing in. That being said, all this is supposed to be chaotic, but in a meaningful way, a way that keeps the engine running.
And right at the centre of it all, you’ve got the vocals. They're the foundation that everything else leans on, the explosion that's brighter than the sun, leaving the waves of hard truths, the horror, that feeling of being powerless. These vocals are just brutal, straight-up ruthless, screaming with no clean break, no melody to catch you off guard, just a primal vehemence making its way out of a diaphragm. But here’s a thing, beneath all that rage in the vocals, there’s another side, a more vulnerable side. There's desperation, something more human, almost tragic. But then, the coin flips, and that fire of desire and desperation burns even hotter, fuelled by a system that’s already buried so many beneath it.
So, yeah, 'Follow' is basically a battle cry for change and wants to burn everything down to start fresh. It's full of frustration, calling out those systems that feel way too rotten to fix. It has that edge of rebellion as well as nihilism and takes a clear shot at the rich and powerful who stick to their wealth even as everything falls apart. In a way, something is chilling about such a sharp social commentary growing through all the standout performances. The song also holds a promise, a desire to tear down the old systems that keep screwing people over.