I must confess that I did not know much about the band before the beginning of this week. After a musically educational catch up, I was beyond impressed with what I discovered about the Toronto trio; Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies and Chris Slorach, who major in creating music of the post- hardcore/ grunge/ punk kind.
They have been around for three and a half years, and in that time METZ have secured a strong legion of followers due to their almost vicious dedication to creating loud, fast paced, addictive noisy listening and their love for performing live in venues that range from basements to festivals.
Graham Walsh (
Holy Fuck) and Alexandre Bonefante (
Crystal Castles) are to credit with helping to bring about the creation of the album, after spending a week with the band in an old isolated barn with nothing but a portable recording rig; therefore allowing fans to bring the energetic, relentless force of the band’s music into their homes.
As I tentatively hit play for the first time it immediately felt as if I was being propelled forward at an unholy speed, at a momentum that did not relax one bit until roughly halfway through the album. My heart beat slowed to a somewhat normal rate during that one minute reprieve during the sixth track –
Nausea. I felt that a more appropriate title for this aptly placed song could not have been as after the first five tracks, I felt like I had just reached the summit of this epic musical rollercoaster.
You know… the part where you have slowed and you can hear your rickety car click along on the tracks beneath you. Breathing comes a little easier and you feel a little queasy but only in anticipation of what is to come. You know that at any moment without warning you are going to be thrust forward again, practically freefalling at the speed of light until the second your journey comes to halt and you are left dizzy and lightheaded from the experience.
If I had to describe this album in one word, that word would be urgent. Alex sings the lyrics like he might have been in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere – an approach that compliments the overall feel of the entire album.
The very first track –
Headache, made me feel like I was listening to a more grungy
We are Scientists on acid. I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard any one of the other tracks in the background of an international Road Safety Awareness ad campaign, highlighting the dangers of speeding while driving. As I progressed through the unrelenting pace of each track, I was also reminded every now and then of listening to
Big Black.
Signed to Sub Pop, the same record label that introduced us to Nirvana, Mudhoney and Soundgarden; METZ have been around for almost four years and are only now releasing this self-titled debut album. Upon being asked about why it took so long, Edkins simply stated that they wanted to take their time and make the record they wanted to make instead of rushing it and regretting it later. Mission
very much accomplished.
In conclusion, METZ will not disappoint their fans with this LP. After listening to it on repeat for the best part of a week, I still get the sense that I have just stepped off a deliciously terrifying amusement ride; one that has left me dizzy, breathless and happily satisfied – but wanting more, to do it all over again.
METZ debut LP is on sale from October 9th
Track List
1. Headache
2. Get Off
3. Sad Pricks
4. Rats
5. Knife in the Water
6. Nausea
7. Wet Blanket
8. Wasted
9. The Mule
10. Negative Space
11. — )) –
Download METZ lead track Headache
here for free.
I must confess that I did not know much about the band before the beginning of this week. After a musically educational catch up, I was beyond impressed with what I discovered about the Toronto trio; Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies and Chris Slorach, who major in creating music of the post- hardcore/ grunge/ punk kind.
They have been around for three and a half years, and in that time METZ have secured a strong legion of followers due to their almost vicious dedication to creating loud, fast paced, addictive noisy listening and their love for performing live in venues that range from basements to festivals.
Graham Walsh (Holy Fuck) and Alexandre Bonefante (Crystal Castles) are to credit with helping to bring about the creation of the album, after spending a week with the band in an old isolated barn with nothing but a portable recording rig; therefore allowing fans to bring the energetic, relentless force of the band’s music into their homes.
As I tentatively hit play for the first time it immediately felt as if I was being propelled forward at an unholy speed, at a momentum that did not relax one bit until roughly halfway through the album. My heart beat slowed to a somewhat normal rate during that one minute reprieve during the sixth track –Nausea. I felt that a more appropriate title for this aptly placed song could not have been as after the first five tracks, I felt like I had just reached the summit of this epic musical rollercoaster.
You know… the part where you have slowed and you can hear your rickety car click along on the tracks beneath you. Breathing comes a little easier and you feel a little queasy but only in anticipation of what is to come. You know that at any moment without warning you are going to be thrust forward again, practically freefalling at the speed of light until the second your journey comes to halt and you are left dizzy and lightheaded from the experience.
If I had to describe this album in one word, that word would be urgent. Alex sings the lyrics like he might have been in a bit of a hurry to get somewhere – an approach that compliments the overall feel of the entire album.
The very first track –Headache, made me feel like I was listening to a more grungy We are Scientists on acid. I wouldn’t be surprised if I heard any one of the other tracks in the background of an international Road Safety Awareness ad campaign, highlighting the dangers of speeding while driving. As I progressed through the unrelenting pace of each track, I was also reminded every now and then of listening to Big Black.
Signed to Sub Pop, the same record label that introduced us to Nirvana, Mudhoney and Soundgarden; METZ have been around for almost four years and are only now releasing this self-titled debut album. Upon being asked about why it took so long, Edkins simply stated that they wanted to take their time and make the record they wanted to make instead of rushing it and regretting it later. Mission very much accomplished.
In conclusion, METZ will not disappoint their fans with this LP. After listening to it on repeat for the best part of a week, I still get the sense that I have just stepped off a deliciously terrifying amusement ride; one that has left me dizzy, breathless and happily satisfied – but wanting more, to do it all over again.
METZ debut LP is on sale from October 9th
Track List
1. Headache
2. Get Off
3. Sad Pricks
4. Rats
5. Knife in the Water
6. Nausea
7. Wet Blanket
8. Wasted
9. The Mule
10. Negative Space
11. — )) –
Download METZ lead track Headache here for free. 
