(Editor’s Note: Every once in a while we’re asked why there aren’t more Don Caballero puns around the site, and you know what? Maybe we haven’t lived math rock, maybe that’s on us. Either way, the Singles Broken Up column is meant to function as a speed date of sorts for readers short on time that still find themselves thirsting for the new and notable, so… ready to mingle? Excellent – this week we’ve got you covered with drops from God of War AKA They Are Gutting a Body of Water w/ Hooky, Deus Visage, Dead Poet Society, TAIHR, Periapt and A Colossal Hand.)
+ God of War – “Mickey Don’t Pose” +
They Are Gutting A Body of Water released a sweet + sour powerhouse LP late in the game of last year, and some of its softer moments haven’t left our heads since. This new project from TAGABOW and friends fully jumps into that end of the pool, and it’s a splash of vaguely shoegaze-inspired chill we can’t get enough of. Some of those MIDI/synth patches take us right back to the videogames of our childhood, ya know? Speaking of, God of War is a hell of a band name, and their new album MOLLY PICTURE comes out August 7th via Julia’s War Recordings. – MW
FFO: Feeble Little Horse, Spirit of the Beehive, Smashing Pumpkins
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+ Deux Visages – “Always You” +
There’s a soothing shoegazed grunge flavor drawing from Smashing Pumpkins and Hum that permeates this single; married with Drive Thru records era emo instincts, and topped off with a candied Pop approach to vocals that brings the composition into a thrillingly flattened present time. – HL
FFO: memorydrip, Japanese Breakfast
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+ A Colossal Hand – “Come Through, We’re Immanentizing the Eschaton” +
This visceral spin-attack of a mathcore screed sounds like the actual mainframe of your soul melting down like a laptop in lava. The glitchy nature of the song borders on the uncanny, and the vocals also land somewhere between Lamb of God and The Locust, which sounds unattainable on paper but it work alarmingly well. It’s like dipping Nacho Cheese Doritos into cottage cheese – the extremes seem unrelated, but in the end they enhance each other. Also, shoutout to ACH for putting this out on Subvert! More on that later. – MW
FFO: Fallfiftyfeet, Dead Kiwis, gLASSJAW
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+ Dead Poet Society – “Roach” +
Sounds like a deep cut remix by Mick Gordon for an unnamed dystopian vision on a remote exoplanet; juxtaposing old timey samples with explosive metalcore production in the framework of an industrial metal arrangement with attendant darkness and danceability expected. There is an atonality that’s integral to the piece rather than a finishing detail, shown through progression instead of defaulting to panic chords. Perhaps it is the band’s proximity sonically and geographically to HEALTH, but this could be what we hear in our heads when thinking of Los Angeles for the near term. – HL
FFO: HEALTH, 3TEETH, Thrown
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+ Periapt – “Clotho (Spinners)” +
For their first song ever “Clotho” packs quite a punch, but it also checks out considering this stealthy sleeper hit actually features at least two agents of heightened PNW power, Levi McElrath of whileiseesound and drummer Niko Wood, who’s drums have featured on some of our favorite math rock records over the years. Periapt’s impending debut EP The Throes of Moirai seems highly conceptual with each title containing parenthetical references, but it also feels vital and intriguing enough to pull you into every last detail. – MW
FFO: You Slut!, Town Portal, Giraffes? Giraffes!
+ TAIHR – “Tortugas” +
A band that seems to bring the aura of Gatsby’s American Dream but with a similar quirkiness to 8 Foot Manchild and Foxy Shazam. What’s more is there are sometimes spoken word tendencies not dissimilar to Cake in how they blend with the instrumental. Overall highly colorful and surprising music that only gets better with increased familiarity with the storied compositions. – HL
FFO: Clever Girl, The Redneck Manifesto, Toe
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