alternative / noise rock
Don't you just love it when a band forgets all about trends, genres or popularity and just goes wild on their instruments? That's the magic of music: people with a wide variety of influences and favorites coming together in a rehearsal room and bark out something completely unexpected. At least, that's the feeling I get when I listen to 'Driven'. In the past the members of this Swiss trio might have been active in the worlds of shoegaze, punk, noise, grunge or hardcore but now they're Asbest, a raging steamroller that sounds like Melvins had babies with Bikini Kill. Ugly, abrasive and noisy babies that refuse to fit in anywhere.
I think it's safe to categorize Asbest in the noise rock scene, although they do borrow elements from a wide variety of genres. The Melvins immediately came up during opener 'Driven' but with pissed of female vocals. Something sure is wrong in the world of Asbest, something poisonous and deadly. 'Deceit' follows a similar path, that of creeping sludge doom, mixed with something Sonic Youth will definitely appreciate.
But then there is 'Means Of Reproduction', a sick and twisted tune that feels like slowly being eaten by an ant colony. I'm scared of this. Vocalist Robyn is yelling at me, "be productive', while I'm trying to be positive about the whole thing. Being creepy is not only for the dark ambient producers among us, that's for sure. Now, don't get me wrong, this is one powerful piece of music, loaded with anger and frustration. It's just that it might haunt your dreams for years to come.
Speaking about dark ambient, 'I Need A Spacesuit To Leave My Home' brings exactly that, at least for a short while in the opening. In a way, this track is exactly what you need after the aggressive bullying of 'Means Of Reproduction'. Here, elements from post rock appear, providing the listener with a little breather. You'll need that, for the rest of the album will continue to slowly pummel you into a bleeding pulp.
My personal favorite here is 'Pillar', oddly the tune that completely dives into the muddy soils of sludge doom and post hardcore. 'They Kill', the single you can already enjoy on their bandcamp page, might be a nice introduction to Asbest but it's not their best tune. If you like this one, the others will completely overwhelm you and if you don't like this one, the others will drill holes in your skull.
Oh well, it's pretty obvious that Driven' is not an easy digestible album. It is however a great example of non-genre bounded experimentation. The album is loaded with power, aggression and anger. It contains influences from everything between the Riot Grrrl scene to the post hardcore world, like PJ Harvey on meth, or something like that. Anyway, if you like sonic knives through your eardrums, this is definitely your thing.
Serge
I think it's safe to categorize Asbest in the noise rock scene, although they do borrow elements from a wide variety of genres. The Melvins immediately came up during opener 'Driven' but with pissed of female vocals. Something sure is wrong in the world of Asbest, something poisonous and deadly. 'Deceit' follows a similar path, that of creeping sludge doom, mixed with something Sonic Youth will definitely appreciate.
But then there is 'Means Of Reproduction', a sick and twisted tune that feels like slowly being eaten by an ant colony. I'm scared of this. Vocalist Robyn is yelling at me, "be productive', while I'm trying to be positive about the whole thing. Being creepy is not only for the dark ambient producers among us, that's for sure. Now, don't get me wrong, this is one powerful piece of music, loaded with anger and frustration. It's just that it might haunt your dreams for years to come.
Speaking about dark ambient, 'I Need A Spacesuit To Leave My Home' brings exactly that, at least for a short while in the opening. In a way, this track is exactly what you need after the aggressive bullying of 'Means Of Reproduction'. Here, elements from post rock appear, providing the listener with a little breather. You'll need that, for the rest of the album will continue to slowly pummel you into a bleeding pulp.
My personal favorite here is 'Pillar', oddly the tune that completely dives into the muddy soils of sludge doom and post hardcore. 'They Kill', the single you can already enjoy on their bandcamp page, might be a nice introduction to Asbest but it's not their best tune. If you like this one, the others will completely overwhelm you and if you don't like this one, the others will drill holes in your skull.
Oh well, it's pretty obvious that Driven' is not an easy digestible album. It is however a great example of non-genre bounded experimentation. The album is loaded with power, aggression and anger. It contains influences from everything between the Riot Grrrl scene to the post hardcore world, like PJ Harvey on meth, or something like that. Anyway, if you like sonic knives through your eardrums, this is definitely your thing.
Serge
