ESA - Themes of Carnal Empowerment Pt​.​3 Penance (Album Review)

ESA's (Electronic Substance Abuse) new album, Themes of Carnal Empowerment Pt3 Penance, is the third and possibly final chapter in an ongoing set of albums. The trilogy started with 2012's Themes of Carnal Empowerment Pt1 Lust and was then followed up by 2013's Themes of Carnal Empowerment Pt2 Deceit. The album artwork drew me in and being a fan of the previous two chapters I was ready to see what the third installment would be like and how it would live up. So I went into this just instantly interested.

Although vocal samples and guest vocals provide some insight into the themes of this album the story is mostly told by ESA mastermind Jamie Blacker’s fantastic production. Blacker has continuously improved his skills since his debut album Devotion, Discipline, And Denial, but I don't think I've heard a more complete album from him than Penance. The dissonance, passion, and intensity can really be felt in jarring, sweeping, and interesting ways throughout the production on this album. The album sounds jittery, fuzzy, and destructive as it paces its mind melting way through the albums ten tracks. At times the beat feels like it's blasting through the walls from a next door neighbor whose sole passion in life is to tell you the story of their penance.

The album ultimately leaves me thinking about what all these structures mean and how do the sounds tie into not just the themes of this album but also relate to the other two albums in this trilogy. "Be Still And I Shall Tell You Why" has some mind bending moments in the beat where so much is going on it feels frantically interesting and instantly overtaking. While tracks like "Master, No Servant" slither along like a snake building into this slow brooding song with vocal samples and eerie noises that sounds like it could easily be found on an eerie horror movie soundtrack. While tracks like "My Church" with the distorted vocal performance as well as certain parts of the beat really honestly sound like something you would hear on a darker, more interesting Hellbilly Deluxe (*that's not a jab at Rob Zombie's album I actually liked it quite a bit growing up). It's hard to believe the sound isn't a nod to either the White Zombie or Rob Zombie influence on the song.

I think what you get with Themes of Carnal Empowerment Pt3 Penance is a super solidly done electronic album with industrial and EBM leanings. I think it's easily one of ESA's best albums and one of the better albums from that particular area of electronic music I've heard this year. This is definitely worth checking out. It has lots of depth, development, and is all around just an instantly interesting album. It's definitely an album that doesn't shove its' narrative in your face as much as create a feeling for the listener while listening. It accomplishes that and much more.