Metalcatto
Let’s face it: in our current social and political climate, satire has lost its purpose. Reality is just funnier than anything else. Double Mute has done two things: brought us one of the strangest concepts for a band and shown one of the most heinous cover arts in MER history. Anyway, if Corporate Culture CEO Edition delivers what it promises, I might once and for all punch that intern who keeps messing up the printer at work.
Somehow, Double Mute got weirder than before. I didn’t know that was possible, but here we are. I keep comparing the project to Ulver, because it’s the only band that can be as unpredictable. There are electronic, classical, metalcore, and avant-garde Metal elements here. You really never know which way the tracks are going to go. One moment it’s radio-friendly; the next, it’s disgustingly heavy. It’s a good analogy for corporate life—the whole dog-eat-dog thing. So yes, the album criticizes capitalism. Deal with it.
What’s really interesting about Corporate Culture is that behind all the jokes and quirky tones, the album hides the utter sadness of being trapped in a dead-end job. Even if that job had any prospects, the best-case scenario is climbing the food chain to eat others or compete with even bigger predators. You see? It’s actually super depressing. This is the most attention-grabbing elevator music ever. It’s heavier than Double Mute‘s previous work, which is an upgrade in my book. The riffs have more bite, the production has more punch, and the overall atmosphere feels less like a joke and more like a cry for help dressed in clown makeup.
Now, Corporate Culture, just like capitalism itself, is extremely alienating. You’ll feel out of place, out of time, out of subgenre. It’s not an easy album, but it becomes easier if you accept its playful nature. I still think Double Mute could benefit from a more Progressive approach to the craft. That would make it more acceptable for the Metal community. But then maybe the band doesn’t care at all about getting promoted and wants to continue with all the water cooler talk. Do people still gather around water coolers, or is that just a 90s movie trope?
So more than an improvement, Corporate Culture is an expansion of Double Mute‘s sound. It takes things slightly more seriously, and it makes me curious about what the project could achieve on the day it doesn’t want to make fun of precarious working conditions. But maybe that day will never come, and that’s the real joke. Anyway, I wonder how many runs of The Office and Succession these guys have had.
Label: Independent
Release date: 12th June, 2026
Website: https://doublemute.bandcamp.com/album/corporate-culture-ceo-edition
Country: USA
Score: 3.6/5.0
Metal Eclipse Reviews 