Exclusive Song Premiere: Abrams – “Manic”
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Advance notice: Denver's Abrams are almost outside of what I consider the Invisible Oranges wheelhouse. Their mix of math rock and post hardcore, filtered through big Melvins-esque guitar rigs is most definitely extreme music, but I'm not so sure it's metal. What it is, however, is good—a bridge between obtuse art rock the the middle American blues rock tradition.
More than a handful of bands have tried their hand at making this precise sound. Every Time I Die gave it a good stab but wound up at Baroness with breakdowns. These Arms are Snakes (every Pacific Northwest post-hardcore band after Harkonen, really)? Same deal. Abrams find the sweet spot on their independent debut, Lust. Love. Loss. about midway between Hot Snakes and Blood Mountain-era Mastodon, and toss in some great lyrics as well.
"Manic," the first song on that album, serve as as a good primer, even if in my opinion the record offers greater cuts as it progresses. For the first half it could be instrumental, all obtuse and pleasant enough, then the vocals kick in, Abrams downshifts, and things get all Ben Grimm.
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Lust. Love. Loss. drops on June 16 and is self-released. Follow Abrams on Facebook. The band is hitting the road as well, all upcoming dates below.
June 18 - Denver, CO @ 3 Kings Tavern
June 19 - Santa Fe, NM @ The Dave Cave
June 20 - Austin, TX @ The Lost Well
June 23 - Springfield, MO @ Outland Ballroom
June 24 - Nashville, TN @ Turn One
June 25 - Lexington, KY @ Best Friend's Bar
June 27 - Chapel Hill, NC @ The Cave
June 28 - Norfolk, VA @ Pancho n' Luigi's
June 29 - Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar
June 30 - Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie
July 1 - Boston, MA @ O'Brien's Pub
July 2 - Albany, NY @ The Treehouse
July 3 - Brooklyn, NY @ Acheron
July 4 - Rochester, NY @ Flour City Station
July 5 - Pittsburgh, PA @ The Smiling Moose
July 6 - Chicago, IL @ Burlington Bar
July 7 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Cocoon
July 8 - Madison, WI @ The Vault
July 9 - St Paul, MN @ Big V's
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