Oklahoma sludge-metal quartet Chat Pile has released their third album, 'Who Loves the Sun', which represents a partial rebrand towards a brighter alt-rock sound. The band's 2022 debut album, 'God's Country', was characterised by oily guitars, mid-tempo percussion, and throat-shredding vocals.
'Who Loves the Sun' features more dynamic structures, twangier guitars, and hookier vocals compared to their previous albums, 'God's Country' and 2024's 'Cool World'. Raygun Busch's lyrics on the new album shift focus from American violence to abstract themes of desensitisation.
The album incorporates eclectic elements, including a trip-hop influence on 'Same Rules' and post-rock leanings in 'Shrine'. However, the overall direction, described as a straightforward softening of their earlier sound, is noted as a disappointment by some.