[THE FLYING LUGAW] ALBUM REVIEW: Nonentities — Autonimbus

Man’s desire for emancipation entangles him in a constant battle with that which oppresses him — a battle that was never lost but has withered him to the point of numbness. Autonimbus zooms down on the other struggle that ensues, one that exists from within the mind of our already embattled hero to keep his humanity in check.

Local punk outfit NONENTITIES’ sophomore album Autonimbus’ is an amazing, straightforward punk record with occasional blends of power pop that has in each song all the blazingly infectious riffs, melodies, and lyrics we’ve all come to love about the genre. More than that, it perfectly encapsulates the pathos of the working class forced to endure capitalism’s destructive consequences as they continue to mobilize and seek respite wherever they can.

NONENTITIES’ relationship with hope in Autonimbus ebbs and flows at every turn, but the passion brought into the nine hard-hitting songs never wanes. In the first two tracks — ‘Witnessing the Shedding’ and ‘Joy Unknowable’, respectively — the narrator is seen in a state of distress as they witness the different faces of injustice chipping away their hope for humanity and for themselves. But as the album progresses, the more he discovers about himself in others in the spirit of resistance. As he continues to resist and find his own solace, no longer has he placed his hopes on greater gods other than himself and his neighbors, as highlighted in the eighth track ‘Subservience’.

Autonimbus is a battle cry, and it continues to echo despite the seemingly unwinnable odds. It accepts one’s mortality and the feebleness of the human spirit when trapped in a system that takes away all that which makes life fruitful. But this sentiment is not driven by the dread of reality, but of love.

Originally published at http://theflyinglugawph.wordpress.com on January 30, 2022.