METZ

A devastatingly ferocious trio, Metz tear into their latest seven-inch with unbridled post-punk menace and cohesive abandon. With their colossal blend of full-toned guitars and an unholy rhythm section, the Toronto band recall the best exemplars of punk-infused structure and time experimentation, and their artful underpinnings fasten them to hardcore. Vocalist/guitarist Alex Edkins still buries his primal bellowing in the mix, creating another texture in the harrowing assault that is "Ripped on the Fence." From the get-go, the song fixes upon a hard charge, stopping for brief breaths, as Edkins' snarling guitar parts propel the driving bass and drums of Chris Slorach and Hayden Menzies, respectively. "Dry Up" is a much more dynamic affair; equally impassioned with a bouncier, half-time feel that bears traces of Hoover and the Sleepytime Trio, the song is weirdly reckless but skin-tight. A welcome blast of brute might, Metz continue to demonstrate what a crazy awesome powerhouse they are.