These Arms Are Snakes

It didn’t take long for These Arms Are Snakes to escape the obvious "ex-members of” tag (Botch and Kill Sadie, if you must know). A unique and exciting musical beast unto themselves, the band have further developed their angular post-hardcore sensibilities with Easter, a powerful record obsessed with themes of animism and resurrection. Building songs from atypical-sounding riffs in same vein as bands like Jawbox, TAAS succeed in crafting songs that evolve logically from one musical idea to another, moving from an aggressive introduction before shifting towards a down-tempo climax. No one song here follows the same formula, though, and the band are just as likely to smash you over the head with a non-stop pummelling of guitars and steady bass — like in "Horse Girl” — as they are to keep things hovering ominously in first gear, as demonstrated by the haunting "Desert Ghost.” The band’s attention to bizarre atmospheric details fills out their harsh soundscapes, as do the numerous interesting guitar effects that litter songs like "Abracadabra” and the wonderfully-titled "Perpetual Bris.” Overall, Easter is an exciting record from a band that have proven, both live and in the studio, that they care only about pushing the boundaries of their chosen genre.