Birmingham, UK post-punk polymaths Mutes have just released their second single, Severe Clear, that is taken from their forthcoming third full length, Dreams of Being Cornered, that will be released on the 7th May. Severe Clear is an unrelenting portrait of the dichotomy between addiction and sobriety, the title alluding to the often too-painful clarity that recovery can bring. It’s a blistering song, 12-strings scythe through caterwaulic grunge in a track that’s equally dissonant and melodious. As the band has grown, chopped, and changed since 2014, so too have its members. Eschewing the lyrical ambiguity of previous works, these songs serve as a frank reflection on some heady years. Whilst the LP’s working title, More Songs About Drugs And Death, may have been left on the cutti...