Abrasive, odd, jarring, unique, must-listen. These are just some of the words that came to mind while I was listening to YHWH Nailgun's latest album Magazine.
YHWH Nailgun is not to be taken lightly. The band's 2025 debut album 45 Pounds was a critical smash, and the band has since signed to the legendary 4AD record label. Don't let their new 11-minute album throw you though, these four guys are not messing around.
There are a total of 10 tracks on the latest album, and not one goes longer than 1:50. In that short album, I thought all the following:
- "What kind of music is this?"
- "Why only 11 minutes?"
- "Have I just listened to this three times?"
- "Was that a pterodactyl??"
Jokes aside, this is a highly creative piece of experimental noise rock. Will most people dig on this? No, and that's ok. As an art piece this is a tight, respectable work. As an everyday listen with your friend Chad at the Jiffy Lube, it's probably a pass.
Oddly enough, this 11 minute record feels fleshed out and fully realized. YHWH Nailgun really trimmed all the fat, threw it in the trash and never looked back.
With elements of bands like IDLES, Dry Cleaning, Death Grips and maybe even a little Geese, Magazine is bound to appeal to your pretentious music critic friend, but that's selling this masterpiece short. The idea of an 11 minute album can of course come off as a gimmick, but YHWH Nailgun sells this record. While listening I was 100% invested. Usually a song that's 1:30 leaves you wanting more, but "Ghost of Love" and "Stillness Blues" get what they need to across and then move on to the next song, no wasted time.
The talent of the musicians is really what's front and center on Magazine. The drumming on display here by Sam Pickard is next level. Polyrhythms, rototoms, tribal beats that transport you to Zimbabwe. The guy knows what he's doing, and he holds down the chaos of these songs with an iron fist.
Jack Tobias is the group's synth player and, I assume, the band's secret weapon. Over the span of these 10 tracks there are noises that sound like pterodactyls, cars exploding, tweaked out children's music and robots dying. It's real nightmare-inducing stuff. But, it kept me on my toes and constantly had me guessing.
In the vocal department, did I fully grasp what Zach Borzone was saying on any of the tracks? Not even close — and I didn't care. His voice works more like a guttural instrument. Even during "Ballerina," where the album's the least aggressive, he manages to channel an almost Phil Lynott (vocalist of Thin Lizzy) vibe. It's one of my favorite songs on Magazine.
If you've been a little bored with modern music as of late, give yourself an interesting challenge and listen to Magazine. I mean come on — it's only 11 minutes.
