Examination of the...

Whereas most people are utterly mystified when they find out where this band calls home, I'm only surprised that there aren't more bands coming from places like South Dakota. Really, what is there to do besides scream your face off in frustration at the backwoods-ish prairie ennui of your surroundings? And is it such a surprise that a bunch of kids from the slow death that is the Dakotas would be inspired by David Lynch to do what they do? Examination of The... are a ululating force of pent up rage influenced by the "teetering on the brink" grind/screamo of Page 99, Creation is Crucifixion's tech-grind and the arrogant punk/math rock of Shellac and Big Black. They don't really have songs that follow any sort of discernible flow, but if your flow includes random stabs into the musical dark, every setting on your distortion pedal, open chords with more hanging notes than an Old West gallows and the worst snare drum sound this side of the 1930s, then this primordial sludge may be your calling. The last track, "Essays in the Moonlight; Dysmorphia‚" is a pure Lynch soundtrack, mellow and haunting. All you need is Angelo Badalamenti's brush-jazz shuffle and you'd be halfway on your way to figuring out who killed that bitch Laura Palmer. Until then, listen intently as these guys torture and murder hardcore as you know it.