Boxcutter

Photo Cred 📷 : @mgmphotoco

I'm a very simple creature. I like to tell myself there's some complexity to my tastes and what I seek in art. But there's a singular thing that will, without fail, sink its grip into me, scruffing my shirt and forcing my gaze towards its yawning abyss. To give it a name is to pretend I even know what it is, but I can confidently say I heard it on every track of Boxcutter's debut EP "It's More Like Embracing". 

The upstroke twang of "The Surface of Lake Ontario Lies Beneath Lake Eerie" sizzles and crackles like an old Army of Kashykk song, while roared vocals lift and soar like hands reaching for the ceiling of a packed basement show. I can hear it very well here, what could be called a pang of longing, but when there is nothing but pangs it morphs into a colorful ache. "Navier Stokes would Have a Field Day With This One" dials back the speed for a slow waltz of anguish, subdued drums thudding and building to panicked chords complimenting a classically Screamo spoken word section. "At 6:45 AM I Saw Your Ghost By My Bedroom" quietly plucks it's way to a speedy and bouncy section of basslines weaving amongst noodley, electrifying riffs ramping halting into a noisy, crackling gang vocal chorus of our bodies will fail / and our bones turn to dust / like a garden of aircraft / our frames growing rust / our bodies will fail / our bones turn to dust / rest into the ocean / our frames growing rust.

Sublime. The sweet, sweet finale of “A Girl Is a Knife" plunges deeply with delectably painful guitar work and stoic drumming with hollered vocals and spare spoken word. I wanted more as soon as it finished. I still feel the phantom hold it has on me. 

Gripping, noisey, passionate and pained but also jubilant and and even triumphant at moments. We absolutely loved this piece and are very excited to hear more from Boxcutter.

Check out their Bandcamp here : Boxcutter

Writer : @letsgetpivotal

Editor : @just_reidz

10/24/22