Somewhere in a flooded basement in the former grunge capital, punk veterans are hemorrhaging streams of electrostatic terror out of halfstacks, ripping the plaster from the struts, and telepathically peeling the paint of the walls. Between the confines of puritanical tradition lies unexplored sonic landscapes heretofore a complete enigma. What can start as noise-laden 90’s hardcore can quickly devolve into melancholic deathrock rage and somehow end at a blood curdling terminal scream loop. BLAST CELLS is the latest iteration of such idiosyncrasies from the likes of former members of CONVICTIONS, DAS HELM, and SAME SEX DICTATOR.
Tying together such diversity is second nature as they wrap their favorites like UNWOUND, RUDIMENTARY PENI, and L7 into a complete package for fans of all things rad pissed off. The changes of pace are more than welcome as we’ve all stood through plenty of monotonous shows where there’s absolutely zero differentiation from one song or even one band to the next. Luckily this seasoned outfit keeps it lively, perfectly toeing the line between spontaneity and predictability. One second lilting a chorus-soaked dirge out of a bygone anarcho record and the next completely crushing any semblance of tension-filled taunting with resolutely intense and driving riffage. Intriguing leads are ever-present like some sort of silhouette underpinning the frantic demonic screaming of a possessed loner.
Their self-titled EP drops on May 5th via Modern Grievance and their release show is the following night at the Belltown Yacht Club in Seattle.
