Yamantaka // Sonic Titan

It's a sad, but true fact that bands often have to seek recognition south of the border before finding success at home. For Toronto, ON, by way of Montreal, collective Yamantaka//Sonic Titan, a recent endorsement from Pitchfork has bolstered the small, but growing number of listeners ready to go to bat for them. Blending the sonic experimentation of the Boredoms and Sonic Youth, heavy riffs of Black Sabbath and vocal harmonies inspired by Japanese opera ― they call it "noh wave" ― the eight-piece unit have crafted a unique sound for their debut, YT//ST. The band's secret is their accessibility in the face of such esoteric influences ― few would believe that you could hum along to anything influenced by 77 Boardrum. The noh melodies, sung in both Japanese and English, suck you in, but it's the crack production from drummer Alaska B that makes the album. Singer Ruby Kato Attwood's vocals remain crisp and clear amidst the pulsing organs, thundering drums and slabs of sludge-y guitars riffs as the record progresses in intensity. It culminates in the rhythmic groove and sonic freak-out of "A Star Over Pureland" before they finish listeners off with "Crystal Fortress Over the Sea of Trees," the album's most accessible tune. An original record blending beauty and brutality, YT//ST should only find more supporters as its reputation spreads.