Chat Pile / Hayden Pedigo

The sprawling expanse of the American heartland is many things: picturesque as it is desolate, familiar as it is alien. Very few settings manage to capture such contrasting characteristics in equal measure, so it’s no wonder that the endless roads and forgotten towns of the deep countryside are practically synonymous with the general concept of a “post-apocalypse”. Although there’s a bleak horror to the rural decay of “Flyover Country,” there’s a tragic beauty in its stillness, something which OKC noise rockers Chat Pile and Texas-raised, Oklahoma-based fingerpicking guitarist and composer Hayden Pedigo masterfully capture on the collaborative LP- In the Earth Again.

Despite their works occupying what seems like completely opposite ends of the genre and tonal spectrum, Hayden Pedigo and Chat Pile’s Captain Ron, Luther Manhole, Raygun Busch, and Stin radiate a genuine synergy with one another that extends far beyond their music. Rather than alternating between moments where either the quartet’s signature sludgy beatdown of noise rock and Hayden’s Fahey-esque guitar soundscapes individually shine, In the Earth Again sees both Chat Pile and Hayden Pedigo explore latent yet previously untapped aspects of their sounds. For Chat Pile, this meant an opportunity to explore moodier arrangements, indulge in sample and tape manipulation, and pen among the most sincere and personal lyrics in their entire discography. In Hayden’s case, this collaboration enabled the visionary guitarist to translate the masterful craft of his typically tranquil, deep country soundscapes into something more sinister, tinged with a visceral, metallic grit that is no less evocative on a sensory level than their solo material.

In the Earth Again presents a portrait of societal decay, characterized by the brutality of the active apocalypse and the eerie stillness that follows in its wake. Throughout its entire thirty-six-minute runtime, In the Earth Again cycles between rustic tones, snarling aggression, and crescendos of tragic catharsis. While depicting a dying world comes off as exactly the type of thematic framework to expect from Chat Pile, Hayden’s presence as a coequal creative force on In the Earth Again makes the end result stand out as a pivotal chapter in each of their discographies.