Posted by: Madeline Wakenight

Bright floodlights swamped the stage and the boys emerged. Emerged from what exactly? That is the unanswerable mystery and charm that made their show such a transfixing experience.

I mistakenly forgot my earplugs but there was no going back. I let the swirl of metal grit and noise ring into my ears and I watched as the crowd turn from a stoic bunch into a thick mosh pit. I like to mosh but this pit was not for me. Bodies flailed and the mosh soon uplifted a few audience members atop the rest of the crowd. One guy, in particular, appeared as a limp, asparagus-like Gumby character as he surfed across.

There were no performative elements about this show. It was all about the music. The hot noise melted out of the drums, distorted banjo, and base. It’s tricky to describe the way they sound but, as one Fader article put it, “There are effect pedals, abused to the point of sacrifice.” Amid the dark noise, there was still a lot of crystal clear melodies that made it easy for the most amateur of hardcore fans (me) to get into. I was surprised to hear them play older cuts from their album, Body War rather than their newer, rap-centric cuts, but it made for a very flowy set. After an hour and a half the place reeked of sweat and beer, and I left with the goofiest smile pasted across my face.

Check out their latest album, Dog Whistle out now via Loma Vista Recordings!