Atlas Vending

Album review

More akin to artillery barrages than actual music, the punky noise rock of Metz is velocity, volume and the joy of raising a mighty, menacing din—most often with Hayden Menzies pounding a drum kit into submission, Alex Edkins howling out words and ferocious guitar squall, and Chris Slorach's bass roaring underneath. Influenced by '80s Amphetamine Reptile bands like Jesus Lizard, this riotous trio oozes a vehement passion no matter how distorted or thunderingly unintelligible it may be. On their fourth album, Atlas Vending the Toronto-based threesome continue their dedication to unleashing a sonic fusillade though ambition is changing their focus. Although Edkins, who has more than a hint of John Lydon in his delivery, mused in interviews before this album's release that the band's goal was to "to remain in flux," and "not overthink or intellectualize the music we love," there are hints of songcraft creeping into tunes like "Hail Taxi" where the band almost gives in to a hook or two. A slower number, the noise rock near-ballad, "Framed by the Comet's Tail," has an array of varied textures and tones. In "Blind Youth Industrial Park" Metz make a few Nirvana-like moves that betray their knowledge and the influence of '90s grunge on their music. And Edkin's guitar work in a tune like the explosive opener, "The Mirror," is more inventive than most artists of this ilk. Another sign of maturity is that unlike most noise punk bands for whom playing live is everything, Metz now make listenable recordings. After tracking their last record Strange Peace with Steve Albini, a man with rare powers over noise and all its clamorous variants, Metz made Atlas Vending with Ben Greenberg of Uniform at Machines with Magnets studio in Pawtucket, RI. Although compressed for maximum volume and punch, the resulting wall of distortion has at least some dynamic range and a number of quieter moments. Bands intent only on volume and noise often do not last; Metz clearly have a future in mind. © Robert Baird/Qobuz