Kylesa

I’m not going to lie to you: Kylesa are a difficult band to digest. Atonal vocal lines, songs that stretch out to whatever lengths the band deem necessary, and the recent addition of a second drummer combine to make this some serious listening. But, more so than ever before, Kylesa have become such a grand sum of their influences it’s awe-inspiring. With a nod to angry, female-fronted crust punk, early-era Neurosis, and that odd, difficult subgenre of Bay Area hardcore characterised by Prank Records bands (where Kylesa used to call home), this album is a lot to take in. Then, add in their own tribal tendencies and it’s almost a mess. But more than on previous efforts, it feels like Kylesa have found what they’re looking for. Tunes like "Identity Defined” showcase how cool it really is when two drummers are playing at the same time, while "Between Silence and Sound” finds the band spreading their wings to reach those faraway apocalyptic places only the greatest of doom metal bands usually discover. The female and male vocals trade off throughout the album, adding to the diverse sound. It’s hard to say who would like Kylesa; their unhinged and emotional approach to their craft might be disarming to metalheads after technical precision, while their metallic tendencies could scare off a hardcore crowd. Either way, as long as they keep creating albums as great as this, they’ll be happy. And I don’t think we want them to be upset.