Discover Scorpion Milk's New EP: Flesh Masks For Skulls

Scorpion Milk have wrapped up work on a new EP, and Flesh Masks For Skulls is now making its way into the wild. Arriving roughly a year after the debut album Slime Of The Times, the new release serves up six tracks and another look into the darker corners of Mat McNerney’s musical world.

Scorpion Milk is the project of Mat McNerney, a musician known from bands such as Beastmilk and Grave Pleasures. His career has taken him through extreme metal as well as punk, and it is the latter that sits firmly in the driver’s seat here. “Dreaming Skulls” makes that clear from the start. Following a brief spoken-word introduction, the track quickly shifts into gear. A pumping beat establishes the foundation while the song locks into a solid groove and refuses to let go. There is a dark edge to the whole affair, and the opener shows that McNerney has continued to develop the Scorpion Milk sound.

The EP keeps that gloomy atmosphere intact with “Crushed Under the Weight.” The track carries a dystopian feel and a hypnotic quality that firmly leans toward post-punk. Rather than relying on sheer volume, it gets under the skin through repetition and relentless momentum.

Third track, third variation. Scorpion Milk retain their musical DNA, but “Guilty By Default” shifts the balance toward wave and gothic territory. That change of scenery is one of the things that keeps Flesh Masks For Skulls interesting. The EP moves between related styles without losing its own identity.

There is also room for two cover versions and a remix. Ulver takes on “All Snakes, No Ladders,” reworking the track from the debut album. The remix gives the song a more forceful and dynamic character, which is exactly what a good remix should bring to the table rather than simply changing a few knobs.

The punk roots come roaring back on “What We All Want,” a cover of Gang of Four. Here, Scorpion Milk let the rougher edges take over and give the song plenty of room to breathe — or, more accurately, to kick and punch its way through the speakers.

“Gut Feeling” reaches even further back into the ’70s. Originally recorded by Devo, the song gets the Scorpion Milk treatment and provides another glimpse of McNerney’s affection for the intersection of new wave, post-punk, and punk attitude.

Flesh Masks For Skulls is a well-crafted EP that shines a light on the musical roots running through McNerney’s work. Despite its stylistic range, the release feels remarkably cohesive. The different influences never turn into a musical tug-of-war; instead, they fit together into a compact and energetic package.