SARGENT HOUSE

Jan 21 2015

Guitar Moderne Feature Spotlight / Interview with: Nick Reinhart

Hybrid descriptions of music are often a lazy way to avoid digging deep into a band’s musical qualities and, as often, inaccurate. But to call the music of Tera Melos’ Punk/Prog/Math/Metal/Ambient/Noise is necessary to cover all the ingredients of the band’s cut and paste style. What makes this ADD pastiche work where others fail is the depth of Nick Reinhart’s technique. His seemingly limitless command over both his guitar and the array of pedals at his feet, combined with the bloodletting energy he brings to the stage, make every musical digression compelling. I first met the man described as “Nels Cline’s younger punk rock brother” at the Earthquaker booth at NAMM, improvising up a storm, and finally got him to talk to Guitar Moderne.

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Jan 16 2015

Helms Alee Tour starts Tonight in BC // Interview with Ben Verellen

Helms Alee begin their tour on Friday, 1/16 in Victoria, BC - they will be joined by Marriages on all shows starting on 1/21 in Ventura, CA - see ALL Helms Alee show details HERE.

There’s a case to be made that Helms Alee’s third and latest album, Sleepwalking Sailors, might not be the best calling card for singer-guitarist Ben Verellen.

When he’s not on tour with the Seattle-based metal alchemists, the Tacoma-born musician runs his own business, building Verellen Amplifiers. Naturally, those amps are used by Helms Alee, which also includes bassist Dana James and drummer Hozoji Margullis. What’s interesting is the way that, at various points on Sleepwalking Sailors, one is left wondering what kind of hopelessly trashed gear Helms Alee is using.

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Jan 16 2015

Interview: Steve Brodsky // Mutoid Man

You probably know Stephen Brodsky as one of the most prolific musicians in the underground scene. He was a member of Converge during the band’s early days, and he founded Cave In.

Cave In alone is enough to show Brodsky’s dynamic approach to music: No two albums sound the same. His most recent project is the sludge-laden punk trio, Mutoid Man. The time signatures on Helium Head are something you’d expect from a progressive band, but that doesn’t compromise the band’s punk roots: The sound is ultimately relatable, and not soaked in the academic pretentions of other bands looking to explore unorthodox rhythms.

I got a chance to talk with Brodsky recently. He told me what I can expect from the upcoming Mutoid Man full-length, as well as some of his musical inspirations.

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Jan 9 2015

Chicago instrumental outfit Russian Circles Live at Cambridge Review


Chicago instrumental outfit Russian Circles spent much of the final month of 2014 celebrating their 10th anniversary on the road, with a series of East Coast shows accompanied by the Converge/Cave In-affiliated trio Mutoid Man. While their recorded output is worthy in its own right, Russian Circles have long shined brightest as a live act, and a run of packed club shows felt like the perfect way for them to mark a decade together. The two trios brought their disparate-yet-complimentary live acts to Cambridge’s The Sinclair on December 10, 2014.

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