It feels at times almost primordial, yet extraterrestrial, in that the aural entity John Beckmann and the Mortal Prophets have conjured up seems to transcend time itself. “New Breed” is not an ordinary song; it’s a shamanic invocation on top of a rebellious cry against the mundane. Just imagine some sort of futuristic shaman, armed with nothing but his guitar and drum machine, crash-landing into some long-abandoned Mayan temple, and you’ll begin to get a feel for this track.
It’s a discordant ballet of beautiful chaos. Jagged edges of post-punk meet glacial rage, black metal, and the bleeding heart of indie rock that pulsates throughout. The sonic chimera is almost testament to Beckmann’s audacious brilliance. The vocals, mesmerizing chant-like in delivery, are atavistic and prophetic in call to arms against a generation adrift in the digital wasteland.
“New Breed” is a declaration, a defiant stance against all acts of generalization and categorization. It holds the resonance of culture in riot, of society hanging from a cliff, staring into the yawning void of an abyss. A hallucinogenic tapestry of ancient ruins and otherworldly visitors, its video counterpart matched the unearthly atmosphere of the track.
This is not music for the faint of heart. It takes one’s full attention and demands surrender. It is sonic exorcism, cathartic purification for the soul. The music may not suit all, but it is undoubtedly very raw in power through its originality. Beckmann has just given birth to a masterpiece with his Mortal Prophets—art that is undoubtedly going to leave its mark on all who experience it indelibly.
