DOOM, DYNAMICS AND DENIED CLIMAX: SEX MASK’S BRAND NEW FOUR-TRACK THRILL RIDE ‘BODY BROKER’

EP REVIEW | SEX MASK – BODY BROKER by Anne Kelly

Last week, Melbourne trio Sex Mask released their latest EP ‘Body Broker’ – an 11 minute attack of noise and distortion, pushing the band into fresh territory. Fusing pounding industrial percussion, fuzzy guitars with ferocious vocals to produce infectious post-punk filth, Sex Mask live up to their sadistic style band name.

Opening with the lead single ‘Cold’, the rapid dirty bass lick hooks the listener in. “Does she love me or am I just staring” repeats the sombre tones of lead singer Wry Gray. Merged with the ominous rising energy of the bass riff, the sound produces an impending sense of doom. Despite coming in at just 2 minutes, there’s a lot happening in this track. There’s a bit of tempo fluctuation, engaging offbeat rhythm, and a mid-song breakdown, all teasing an explosive conclusion that unfortunately never really comes, instead cutting off without warning.

‘Blisters‘ is a concise and powerful entry, leaning into fuzzy shoegaze with an anthemic Fontaines D.C. energy. The co-vocal performance by Noah Learmouth (Radio Free Alice) is a standout feature. The contrasting, yet perfectly unified, tones of Gray and Learmouth engage in a vocal sparring match that brilliantly deepens the track’s texture. Even as the longest song on the EP, ‘Blisters’ still feels a little too short.

Defined by its haunting, atmospheric guitar work, ‘Curse‘ successfully delivers on its title. The verses generate an apocalyptic tension that breaks spectacularly when the chorus hits. The dynamic chorus features two separate vocal parts that maximise the track’s furious intensity. Fast, fierce, and fearless, ‘Curse‘ is engineered for the dark sweaty mosh pits and is sure to be a devastating force played live.

The EP concludes with ‘Dirt’, arguably the track with the most swagger. It maintains the characteristic darkness and gloomy undertones, anchored by driving drum and bass rhythms that consistently evoke a sense of impending doom. Again, it just ends a bit prematurely, leaving the listener craving for more.

Sex Mask‘s Body Broker is captivating power. Ultimately, the EP’s strength lies in its meticulous composition: the dynamic vocal interplay, sophisticated rhythmic shifts, and polished overall production are what make this collection so compelling. The only consistent frustration lies in the brevity of these high-impact tracks is the feeling that they are unfinished – but that’s not always a bad thing. Really looking forward to hearing more from this Aussie trio in the future.