Catching up with EYESWITHOUTAFACE

Toronto's eyeswithoutaface were one of the first bands I interviewed for this blog - but don't hold that against them. Their eclectic style fuses music from opposite ends of the spectrum, and is never less than gut-wrenchingly heavy. With a new split EP out and a new album in the works, it felt like a good time to hit them up again and see what they've been up to all this while. I fired off some questions, which vocalist Max Deneau and guitarist Mike Szarejko were kind enough to answer. 

Bandcamp Picks - Swans, Terra Tenebrosa, eyeswithoutaface/IRN, Endless Floods

The current incarnation of Swans is coming to an end, but apparently not in any kind of hurry. With most songs running over 10 minutes - and a couple well over 20 - The Glowing Man is a testament to Michael Gira's scope and ambition. Swans have always utilized minimalism and repetition (not to mention Gira's imperious baritone) to maximum effect, only now that effect is restrained and meditative; though I have no doubt that it'll be delivered at ear-wrecking levels in concert. As unlikely as it seemed a decade ago that Swans would reform and deliver four albums as good and as relevant as their Eighties output, it now seems equally hard to believe that this is the last we'll hear from them. But it would be a hell of a high note to go out on. [$15.99]



It was big news for me when members of my beloved Breach resurfaced in Terra Tenebrosa. Ignoring all musical boundaries, third album The Reverses sees them integrating Breach's driving rhythms and discordance with sinister atmospherics, topped by Tomas Hallbom's hellish rasp. Even without the costumes and mystery, this is one of the most intriguing bands active right now. [€7.77]



It's been a while since we checked in with our friends eyeswithoutaface, and all has not been quiet. On their recent split with IRN, they punish the listener with four bleak new noise and electronics-tinged dirges; this is what the robots will be playing when they finally rise against us. For their part, IRN contribute one sludgy original as well as covers of Electric Wizard and that old hesher standard "Combat Swine", slathered in feedback and bad intentions. Death and hatred to mankind all around. The split is available as a "name your price" download.



Say this about Endless Floods - they're committed to the idea of doom. On their self-titled debut EP, the Bordeaux trio shuffles along like a funeral march, one oppressive chord after another and not a bong or Seventies riff in sight. An audio suicide note. [€3]

Bandcamp [Mini] Picks: Pretty Mouth, Homolka, Human Cull, Total Combined Weight

...a special mini-edition of Bandcamp Picks, where I talk about some shorter releases that stood out to me, but didn't fit in with the regular column for one reason or another.

First up, Apotheosis, the new single from my Canadian BFFs Pretty Mouth, features two new songs ("Apotheosis" and "The Joke") as well as live versions of those same songs. Since this is Pretty Mouth, you can expect some angry, discordant hardcore that's busting at the seams with noise and vitriol, and not be disappointed. The live versions feel a little tacked on, but are a nice indication of what you're in for should you find yourself in front of these guys. Another great release from what's quickly becoming my favourite hardcore band. The four track EP is available as a "name your price" download.



Similarly, Toronto's Homolka (containing members of DoC faves eyeswithoutaface) channel their rage into noise and vice versa. Their latest release is a split cassette, and a good introduction to their political, in-joke heavy, power violence/grind. Between Pretty Mouth, eyeswithoutaface, Homolka and the Blind Surgeons Operation, it would appear the Kids in the Hall have misled me about Canadians.



On the other side of the cassette, the UK's Human Cull contribute one long song titled "Cities Become Graves." Despite their stated interest in "Blastbeats & Blastbeats & Blastbeats & Blastbeats," the majority of the 13 minute track is spent punishing the listener with the same three chords in an extended doom section. And let's face it, in the world of grind, there isn't a better pairing with the extremely fast than the extremely slow. The split isn't available as a stand-alone download purchase, but a digital download is included when you purchase the cassette, which is available through Goatprayer records for ₤3 plus shipping (or $4.58 plus shipping, according to Paypal). It's extremely limited (25 copies according to Bandcamp), so if you're interested you better dive on it now.



I've mentioned The Co-Main Event podcast before on this blog, mostly to make up for how much I rip off CME's Ben Fowlkes. But as much as I enjoy the podcast, it never really made any sense to keep plugging it on this blog, since it's about mixed martial arts and only of tangential interest to heavy music fans. So imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that Fowlkes' co-host, MMA writer Chad Dundas, is in a hardcore band called Total Combined Weight. There's only one track on their Bandcamp page, and it's not for download or purchase; but it is pretty fucking sweet. Gargantuan, even. You can tell these guys grew up loving Ian Mackaye; this easily could have been on a Dischord compilation back in the day (maybe it's not surprising that Total Combined Weight do lots of Minor Threat covers). No idea what form this release is going to take or how to purchase it; their Bandcamp page is pretty barebones, and their Facebook page isn't much better. But if Total Combined Weight put out a full release, rest assured DoC will be all over it.


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eyeswithoutaface Interview

Out of luck, I discovered Toronto's eyeswithoutaface at a point in 2012 when I was becoming increasingly jaded with the metal scene; during a flood of unoriginal and mostly forgettable death and thrash revivalists, EWAF's dischordant and unique brand of heavy industrial was a welcome relief. I fired off some questions over e-mail, which the band (vocalist Max Deneau, guitarist Mike Szarejko, and drummer Tuka Shahidi) took turns answering.

Bandcamp Picks: eyeswithoutaface, Latitudes, Inheritage, Within The Fall

Toronto's eyeswithoutaface walk closely in the footsteps of the dearly departed Red Harvest; black, death, doom, and power electronics are all blended together into a noisy hate smoothie that'll give NIN fans nightmares. Their new album Warguts is the heaviest thing to get tagged "industrial" that I've heard in a long time. All their releases (including their amazing debut Monotoneoteny) are available either as free or Pay What You Want downloads.



I never checked Latitudes out before, probably because on paper their shoegazey post-metal sounds derivative and uninteresting. But Individuation is surprisingly awesome. Trippy, heavy, and blackened at the edges, it's like Deftones and Pelican hiking through the woods with Deafheaven as their guide. Not free, but downloadable for a respectable $7.



"Lithuanian Death Metal" is a thing, and on Inheritage's debut EP Morbid Grace of Death, it's a very good thing. I'm immediately reminded of bands that blasted out of neighbouring Poland in the late 90's (Decapitated, Yattering). The riffs are sharp, the drums are programmed (but not obviously so), and the vocals are guttural. Four songs (and an extremely discomfiting  Happiness sample) are available as a free download, and well worth your time.



I have a feeling I'd get along with the dudes in Within the Fall; we seem to share the opinion that the only thing wrong with Brave Murder Day is that there's only one of it. Anyone lamenting Katatonia's shamble towards more commercial pastures is better off getting Through the Shadows instead. This four track EP is available as a PWYW download.


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