SPRING7-5

Theories & Immortal Bird on Tour - Presented by Invisible Oranges

You’ve gotta love it when a good tour comes together.

Seattle’s own grindcore heavyweights Theories will tour the United States again this June alongside Chicago’s Immortal Bird. Both bands released excellent records last year, and each premiered on this site, so when they asked us to sponsor their tour of course we answered in the affirmative.

About Regression, the debut LP by Theories, I said:

“The ethos “more is more” informs Theories’ take on the genre: more guitar solos per song, more disturbing vocal samples, more ignorant breakdowns than the typical-blast-then-pause grind record. Scott Hull of Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed mixed the album, and punched every instrument into the red. The bass sounds like a guitar and the guitar sounds like the death squeal of some huge cybernetically enhanced boar. Drummer Joe “Grindo” Axler’s snare drum his sound as if they could break coconuts, and his cymbals sound like they’re made of Gillette razorblades. Even by grind standards it’s an intense listening experience.”

Empress/Abscess, the sophomore album by Immortal Bird, is at least as good, and perhaps even more adventurous. Here’s a recap:

“The members of Immortal Bird wear their influences on their sleeves, and in so doing paint with an expansive palette of styles and sounds. Empress/Abscess presents itself at first as a pretty straightforward exploration of metallic hardcore with a little Norwegian melody thrown in, but ends with “And Send Fire,” a ten-plus minute prog-and-melodic-death-metal cocktail—complete with a little noise collage garnish, courtesy of producer Colin Marston. Before that, straightforward D-beats fall away into more Meshuggah-esque grooves (no djent-ish guitar tones here, thankfully) on “Saprophyte,” and tender gothic pianos provide an accent and moment of respite on “To a Watery Grave.” Many of the overdriven guitar arpeggios which open several songs here owe much to Pig Destroyer and Converge (Kurt Ballou mixed the band’s first release, 2013’s Akrasia EP).”

Convinced yet? These are two of the finest young bands on American soil. They deliver the goods and, speaking from experience, they do so viscerally, up close and personal-like. Do yourself a favor: close the laptop, put the dogs in the kennel, go out to the club, buy a tall boy, and strain your cervical vertebrae with them.

6/4 – Colorado Springs, CO – 71Grind Fest
6/6 – St. Louis, MO – The Demo
6/7 – Indianapolis, IN – 5th Quarter
6/9 – Pittsburgh, PA – Black Forge Coffee
6/10 – Brooklyn, NY – Acheron
6/11 – Baltimore, MD – Sidebar
6/12 – Philadelphia, PA – Kung Fu Necktie
6/13 – Cleveland, OH – Now Thats Class
6/14 – Chicago, IL – Livewire
6/15 – Minneapolis, MN – The Reverie
6/17 – Denver, CO – 7th Circle
6/18 – Salt Lake City, UT – Crucial Fest