Album Review: Metz to release Atlas Vending October 9

So much has changed since 2012; the world is a far different place.  That was the year in which Metz released their self-titled debut album, a powerful perturbation-fueled record which immediately caught the attention of music enthusiasts yearning for a hardcore sound that had it’s own style.  Ever since, Toronto’s Metz has been a furious force of proto-punk, hardcore rock n roll goodness. The band has stayed true to the sound that has fueled the rapid growth their rabid fan base for the better part of a decade.

There’s a great deal of angst-driven, emotional content behind the Canadian hardcore band’s sound. Formed in 2008 with the intent on meshing elements of 90’s grunge, post punk, shoegaze and hardcore punk, the Canadian rockers injected a refreshing energy into the often stale hardcore music environment. 

Metz’s new record, the follow-up to the Steve Albini-produced Strange Peace is Atlas Vending. The album continues in a similar trajectory as an angst-layered commentary on post-nuclear life.  The record is due for an October 9 release on Sub Pop Records. Bolstered by the co-production of Ben Greenberg (Uniform) and the engineering and mixing skills of Seth Manchester (Daughters, Lingua Ignota, The Body) at Machines with Magnets in Rhode Island, the new LP indeed picks up where their previous work left off, cementing the Ottawa natives as a hardcore punk sub genre all their own.

Opening with “Pulse,” the LP begins with a juxtaposed, angsty fury. The second track , “Blind Youth Industrial Park” is reminiscent of the trio’s earlier work.  Metz has epitomized frustration as themes of exasperation echo and weave their way through the record.

The band commented on the song, “This one started off as a 4 on the floor ripper but never really felt special to us until we added the bigger stomp drum pattern that carries the main riff. We were excited about the juxtaposition between the aggressive main riff and the sugary, slightly more dreamy, chorus,” said Alex Edkins (vocals, guitar).

“The Mirror” and “No Ceiling” is the point at which Atlas Vending  streamlines into form, the album’s hammering instrumentation pairs with intense, immersive lyrics shouting directly into the eardrums of eager listeners. Edkins comments, “This (“No Ceiling”) was a quick little number that I had written long before the AV sessions and just seemed to hang around. We all eventually fell in love with its simplicity and what to our ears reminded us of bands like the Buzzcocks and The Damned. There is also some Pretenders inspired chorus on the guitar sound, just beneath the surface.It’s quite possibly the most optimistic song I’ve ever written and is about the birth of my son and how my outlook was completely changed for the better.”

From the opening notes, “Draw Us In” is a standout number on the record, but remains true to the tone of the album’s progression through the first five tracks. The band commented on the track, ” …AV is not only the best batch of songs we’ve ever written but also the best sounding record we’ve made to date. The intro to “Draw Us In” is proof of that. The drum sound is beautiful. It breathes, ebbs and flows, in a way our previous records do not.”

“Framed By The Comet’s Tail” might be the superlative number on the record.  It encapsulates the spirit of Atlas Vending in just under 5 minutes. Then again, the same can be said about the LP’s blowout finale, the seven-and-a-half minute juggernaut of a tune, “A Boat to Drown In”.

Metz’ albums thrive on energy, and Atlas Vending is no exception. With its release, Edkins (guitar and vocals), Chris Slorach (bass) and Hayden Menzies (drums) have delivered a complex homage to their early work that demonstrates how well the band has grown musically.  Admirably, in no way have they sold out their core sound.  Atlas Vending is the polar opposite of pop music.  It is as emotive, gritty and loud as Metz has ever been.

Pre-order Atlas Vending from Metz here.

Atlas Vending Track List:
Pulse
Blind Youth Industrial Park
The Mirror
No Ceiling
Hail Taxi
Drew Us In
Sugar Pill
Framed By The Comet’s Tail
Parasite
A Boat To Drown In

Metz featured photo by Norman Wong

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