31/10/2009
Van Horne - LP + CD
Pseudo 2009
Il a pas fallu trois plombes pour plonger tête baissée dans
ce premier album de Madraso. Un trio de Seattle faisant son entrée par
la grande porte dans le monstrueux monde du noise-rock. Imaginez une rencontre
entre l'évidence d'un Young Widows, la belle complexité d'un Craw
et la hargne d'un Black Elk sans les soli de guitares. On en met en taule pour
moins que ça. J'aurais bien rajouté au tableau de chasse, pour
nous les p'tits français, le nom de Doppler pour ce léger effet
saturé sur la voix et certaines ambiances mais on va arrêter là
parce que Madraso se suffit à lui-même et à ce rythme là,
va devenir une référence à lui tout seul.
Enregistré sur du vieux matos analogique et un 2 inch tape, la musique
de Madraso vous saute à la tronche plus sûrement que du boulot
signé Albini. C'est Justin Weis qui s'est collé derrière
les platines, a enregistré la bête live pour un rendu bluffant,
s'inscrivant parfaitement sur la chaleur d'un vinyl (pour les losers, un CD
est inclus dans le package). La paire basse-batterie, comme souvent dans ce
genre de combat, est centrale. Aussi à l'aise dans les bastonnades coup
de poing que les longs corps à corps, tour à tour agile et lourde,
cette paire constituée de Doug Owen (basse) et Chris Jager (batterie)
nous en met plein la vue sans la frime et sans en mettre partout. Là-dessus,
Jeremy Curles fracasse ces six cordes et sa voix qu'il a magnétique.
Owen met le feu à ces lignes de basse, le batteur frappe comme un sourd
et quand on les croit sur le chemin de la rédemption, Madraso nous assassine
d'un poignard retors dans le dos. Parce que cet album possède une bonne
dose de malsain, toujours au bord du chaos et que je ne vais pouvoir plus longtemps
résister à vous lâcher une autre référence,
celle qu'on ne donne pas à n'importe quel clébard qui jappe pour
faire l'intéressant, la dernière carte que l'on abat... mais celle
des mythiques Dazzling Killmen s'impose. L'art de la déconstruction tout
en gardant une efficacité et une limpidité redoutable, la pression
imposée sur vos frêles épaules, Madraso possède cet
art subtil de la torture chinoise, la peau épluchée centimètre
par centimètre, les résistance qui tombent une à une, avec
l'envie de vous débattre comme un damné tout en sachant que vous
êtes irrémédiablement prisonnier, happé par cette
machine infernale au nom de Madraso. Et quand, vers la fin de l'album, vous
croyez tomber sur un semblant de répit avec un piano et sa touche solennelle
au début des neuf minutes de To the grave uh ?, c'est pour mieux retarder
la bombe sur ce gigantesque morceau qui vous éclate définitivement
la tronche. Et c'est ainsi pour les onze compos de ce premier album faisant
suite à The Theme of consequence, un EP six titres réalisé
en 2006 ainsi qu'un single et un split avec Blackhole et qu'il me tarde bien
sûr à faire main basse dessus. Ai-je besoin de préciser
après cette tartine dithyrambique que ce disque est indispensable ?!
SKX
10/16/09
Arghhh! Beards! The absence of primary colors! Guitar riffs that sound like
the musical equivalent of being turned to stone by Medusa! Every breakdown means
another mere mortal petrified. The fresh faced and faint of heart are not welcome
here. It feels good to be back home in these murky waters. You can’t see
a thing: you’re too busy giving yourself whiplash.
What a great show at the Comet this past Saturday, October 10th. The best lineup
I’ve seen at a show in quite some time. Well let me rephrase that, it
was the best bill that I’ve almost seen in quite a while. To my dismay
I missed about half of Madraso’s set. I was not happy to say the least.
A couple songs will have to hold me over until 2010! Yeah, that’s fucking
right. Insert sad emoticon here. They’ll be playing the top of the Smith
Tower (No way! Really?! Be gentle, I’m quite gullible.) apparently. But
unless you catch them in Portland in early November or when they’re on
tour, you won’t be experiencing Madraso live any time soon. If you’ve
never heard of Madraso, you need to check them out immediately. My friend Jason
blessed me with their tunes during a particularly intense game of cards. They’re
the perfect background music for a murderous game of Rummy or anything else
that you want to become menacing.
Phil,
Sound on the Sound
9/2/2009
Last year I went to a show intending to see what I could of Salvador and Kowloon
Walled City. I hadn't totally listened to either of their material and had no
real understanding of their sounds aside from obviously knowing I was going
to get some kind of metal show. They both turned out to be better than expected,
almost to the point of offense because I'd missed Salvador shows before and
the audience at this particular show was a little unconscious.
After KWC, this band I'd barely even researched hit the stage: Madraso. I had
low expectations due to the lack of information and only giving their myspace
tracks enough of a listen to know they were some hard punk hybrid of metal.
The thing about myspace is that it reduces the quality of songs and tends to
make them quieter. Subtleties are lost. With only a sample listen, I doubt I
would have picked them up well anyway.
They had bass. The two bands before sounded fine, clear... but it was obvious
that the volume had been turned up when Madraso started playing. The lowness
in their sound was fucking fantastic. Even when they went off into material
that wasn't immediately appealing, they just plain sounded good.
This song has a bit of that bass I heard - meaning, it's obvious, even being
myspaced. The internet is telling me that it's a wrestler's name, and it does
sound like some sort of combative pursuit
Seeing
in the Dark
8/5/2009
Large and sludgey sounding noise-rock here from this Seattle
based trio who have just released their debut album Van Horne through Pseudo
Recordings. Madraso are another band taking a bit from the AmRep noise-rock
leanings and giving it a bit of a metallic twist, not unlike those of KEN Mode,
Black Elk, etc. And thankfully Van Horne does nothing to lead me to believe
that they don’t belong in such company. They’re every bit as of
overpowering as any of those bands, and anyone who gives the album a listen
will probably end up agreeing. Hell Tad Doyle is apparently a fan, so there
you go. Give this a listen if you think this is up your alley.
Built
on a Weak Spot
7/14/2009
In many ways, Madraso seems to reject exposure: lengthy
gaps between releases; a seeming aversion to radio friendly song aesthetic;
hell, they even limited the release of their new album to vinyl (although you
do get what looks like a burnt CD copy when the vinyl is purchased). On the
other hand, they had this wicked album release party complete with an on site
KEXP broadcast at the Sunset Tavern on a busy Saturday night. Oh, and they make
some of the best hardcore music in the city. For Madraso all signs point to
cult following.
The show was heavy–as is Van Horne–and the tunnel-like
acustics of The Sunset, with it’s low ceilings and long, angular entryway
sent massive waves of sound crashing through the crowd and out onto Ballard
Avenue where inexperienced show-goers could be seen cupping hands over ears
and dejectedly massaging temples.
From the first chord of Mico De Noche’s grinding, industrial strength
drone, the stage was a constantly erupting body of heavy weight experi-metal
and down-tuned psychedelia. While the music was acutely focused at times, the
crowd appeared more than willing to let the bands wander off down whichever
hard rocking avenue they saw fit. Second act The Ruby Doe’s performance
while energetic, came off a little less cohesive than the others–with
a mixture of beautifully sung vocals and screaming that seemed a little unnecessary
at times–they definitely sounded more Against Me than Metallica. Madraso
also sounded a little punk in the realm of stoner metal, but comparison to bands
like Mastodon and Kyuss would definitely make sense; their jagged guitar riffs
over deep, rumbling bass lines built tension between crackling drum fills until
finally boiling over with explosive denouement. The vocals were almost spoken
word at times and shouted in unison at others, but rarely seemed to be the focus
of the song, and always seemed to accent the instrumental mood at the time.
Listening to Van Horne at home late after the concert brought even more appreciation
for the Madraso’s live show. Moments that seemed chaotic during the set
were actually calculated outbursts and sounded better and better with each listen.
The time spent in the putting together of the album is evident in the complexity
of the music and the care put into each hand painted album cover. Something
a Seattle area metalhead can be proud of; well worth the price of admission.
Todd Hamm
06-27-2009
Stream
the archived performance of madraso on KEXP AUDIOASIS. June 27, 2009 at 8 PM.
06/2009
"We should be called the Carpenters. This band has
led to nothing but construction," laughs Madraso drummer Chris Jager. He
and his bandmates, bassist Doug Owen and guitarist/vocalist Jeremy Curls, are
downing post-practice cocktails at the Tin Hat in Ballard and talking about
building and soundproofing their new practice space, a task they've had to tackle
countless times because of repeated moves.
The name may fit metaphorically, but Karen Carpenter and company couldn't be more different from Madraso. As hard as they are heavy, the punk-influenced trio are emblematic of the strain of seismic rock that has slowly come to define Northwest metal. Using tools similar to their like-minded peers Black Elk, Bacchus, and Red Fang, they compose densely, with a fetish for bass lines so thick and brutal they'd overwhelm the rest of the instrumentation if the guitars and percussion weren't so willfully chaotic and unpredictable. For the sort of music fan who loves Shellac as much as Motörhead, Madraso is definitely worth a listen.
Having released only a 7-inch and a self-titled EP since their inception in 2004, it's definitely going to be a serious celebration this Saturday, June 27, at the Sunset when they unveil Van Horne, their first proper full-length. The band recorded with producer Justin Weis (best known for his work with art-punk act Sleepytime Gorilla Museum) at Trakworx studio in San Francisco, to which they credit the fact that Van Horne is not only cohesive, but very reflective of their live sound.
"It was nice because we got out of town and we were really focused," explains Curls. "Everything was pretty much one take," adds Jager. "We did it all live, minus vocals and overdubs, so it sounded more like we [do when we] play." Utilizing old-school analog materials also helped immensely. "We really wanted to do it on 2-inch tape—the juicy juice," continues Jager, commenting on a recording method known for capturing rich, big sound. "It worked out really well, especially since we're pressing it on vinyl and [it] sounds much more natural."
It's worth noting that the vinyl pressing isn't just an auxiliary option: It's the only way people can get their hands on Van Horne. "The CD copy is going in with the vinyl; you have to buy the vinyl to get the CD," says Curls. "Even if you don't have a record player, we don't care!" interjects Jager. "If anything, we hope that having to buy the vinyl will promote the idea of buying a record player," says Owen.
In addition to being responsible for the band's formidable bass lines, Owen is a burgeoning entrepreneur who's slowly building a cult following among musicians for his custom-built effects pedals. "What I'm trying to do with a pedal is not being done very often; I'm putting tubes in them and making it work the way amp tubes are supposed to work," he explains. A gearhead dialogue with Steve Albini led to their powwow at last week's Shellac show at the Vera Project, when Owen handed one of his creations to Albini in person. High on Fire's Jeff Matz and Brothers of the Sonic Cloth leader Tad Doyle are also fans of his handiwork.
"Doug is a mad scientist!" asserts Jager with obvious pride. "The first time he came to practice, I picked him up in my new crappy $200 car, and as soon as I put the key in the lock, it crumbled. He fixed it right there on the spot and got the car started with a spoon."
MacGyver-esque skills are always desirable, but one of the most charming things
about Madraso is their affection for and support of other local bands in their
genre. They spend nearly 10 minutes of our chat heaping praise on Mico de Noche
and The Ruby Doe, the two bands opening their record-release party. "When
we first started playing out, we thought we should play shows with them,"
Curls says of The Ruby Doe. "And they ended up becoming really good friends
of ours. Make sure you get there early to see them!"
ROCKET
QUEEN, SEATTLE WEEKLY
4-2009
There are undeniable stylistic similarities shared by
the bands that played the Comet last night, but unfortunately there isn’t
a convenient name to pin on it. It’s heavy rock, with elements of hardcore,
punk, metal, lots of minor chords, and an obvious affinity for the Jesus Lizard,
and though there aren’t enough bands out there (yet) that have embraced
this specific pissed-off style to warrant an entire genre being named after
it, it does exist as it’s own sub-section of the current rock scene, and
Adam Superfan did a great job of putting several of these like-minded bands
together on the same bill. Seattle’s main export of this sound is Madraso,
and though I had seen them three times before I was never as impressed by them
as I was last night. They have the amps to blow a room out, and usually they
do, but last night they set their rigs just right, giving me the opportunity
to actually hear the songs underneath the volume. As they played, I asked Mike
Nipper where he thought their sound originated from. I posited that this whole
style might have spawned around 1991 based on the emergence of records like
JL’s Liar and Jehu’s Yank Crime, and Nipper added that he heard
a lot of Richmond, VA band Breadwinner (which after going home and listening
to them I completely agree). But Nipper thought it went back further than that,
in Madraso’s case specifically to King Crimson’s Red. When I tried
to disagree with his assertion he reminded me that he was actually going to
these shows in 1991, while I was, well, 8. So I shut my mouth.
Jeff
Kirby THE STRANGER
7-2008
Sindios, Madraso, Blackhole, the Bismarck
(Sunset) Madraso are one of the loudest bands you're going to hear in
Seattle. The last time I saw them it felt like my eardrums were floating in
a pool of brain fluid, my bowels slowly moving, not of their own accord. Sure,
it's pretty easy to turn your amps up, but Madraso match their loud with an
equal dose of heavy: That's what gets those bowels quivering. Their mix of Jesus
Lizard's driving, punchy bass and Playing Enemy's dirty guitars deliver enough
distorted low end to make the whole bar start smelling. This show celebrates
the release of a split 7-inch with Salt Lake City sludge rockers Blackhole.
Bring all sorts of plugs.
JEFF
KIRBY (The Stranger)
2-2009 pre release REVIEW OF VAN HORNE LP --[very
in depth!]
Holy shit, I knew Seattle’s Madraso were gonna bring the fireworks whenever
they got around to putting out a full fledged LP but upon hearing Van Horne,
I’m nothing short of speechless. Both the EP and subsequent demo showed
a forward thinking noise-rock unit, paying homage to the masters of the genre
and trailblazing their own unique path. Hints of vintage Dazzling Killmen, Unsane
and early Today is the Day go balls to the wall against the new age shock n’
awe of Akimbo, The Wayward and KEN Mode.
On their debut for Pseudo Recordings, Madraso continue to fine tune their craft. The arrangements of these songs are bustling, apocalyptic cities filled with all sorts of decaying life forms. The way the rhythm section plays off the sizzling noise-rock guitar licks is something to behold. Bass n’ drums actually take center stage and leave the guitar to build upon billows of rising noise smoke and carefully crafted melodic bits. Bassist Doug has some of the hottest fingers going in noise-rock right now and his tense grooves and mathematical shredding leave no stone unturned in the quest to blow your head clean out of your ass.
11 tracks all told on this one, with 4/5 returning from their last demo which was a collection of material recorded in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Instrumental lead in “Van Horne I” is the introductory mood builder. The reek of bong hits gone sour is all over this one, with creepy noise guitar strum ebbing over a downbeat doom riff. Without warning Madraso plows into the dreadnaught sonic deviance of “Nero”. If you’ve been keeping score thus far, you’ll have heard this beast on the previous demo. Seismic bass tremors cripple an already shaking wall of the Killmen’s fearless noise-rock destruction. The guitar work is at times formless, turning feedback and sheer rage into an instrument. Hell, at times I can’t even decipher riffs as the guitar grapples with textures barely human in nature. Vocals still erupt in the furious dry-lung shouting style of the Killmen’s legendary auteur Nick Sakes.
In fact Nick and co. style is all over this album, made even more apparent in the unrelenting “Daisy Cutter”. The sound in this song (also from the demo) is so fucking deranged, it feels as if the entire thing could collapse at any moment. Bludgeoning drum n’ bass deconstruction works up a vortex of scathing backlash with heart attack inducing guitar and vocals to match. Vocally, things descends into a rabid spoken word assault after waylaying your poor brain cells with venomous screams and shouts. Somewhere in the eye of the storm is an understated sense of melody, especially when the guitar steps to the forefront and delivers a killer harmonic lick in the “chorus”. I’m hesitant to identify anything in these songs as a traditional verse/chorus segment, because as mentioned earlier sometimes the abrasion is almost indefinable. Sure, against the odds this stuff gets catchy on occasion but this kind of din will bend sensitive ears to the breaking point, but it’s nice to see the intricate, melodic aspect battle its way to the frontlines in just the right instances.
Wrestling fans will rejoice over “Awesome Kong”; a rumbling, mid-pace gut-wrench which more than replicates the weight and girth of the female gargantuan it is titled after. Slightly slower than your average Madraso tune, the whole shebang is slowed down and rendered more tangible in shape. Except for the vocals that is, which are mostly a Ritalin enhanced form of talking; dripping and seething with hatred and on the verge of loosing their cool at a moments notice. They anchor things down with a meaty bass riff and steadfast drum pacing in order to keep their attack more grounded.
Not all bands can experiment with such different speeds and compositions and make it work, giving Madraso an extra ace up their sleeves when it comes to songwriting. Fans of Akimbo will probably get a kick out of “Fingertight”; another returning scorcher from the demo, melding the jumpier noise-rock of today with the calculated grooves of the elder statesmen. I have to say I’m still all about the slightly country tinged opening riff. Noise-rock for cowpokes I call it.
Don’t think that these dudes can’t rock with a poker-face either as “Infants” could very well be the band’s “stoner rock” song. Here they’re drinking less caffeine and guzzling a pint of bongwater instead, to wring out a series of throttling rock riffs coupled with an earthen rhythmic shuffle. When the mid-section plummets back into a scream blasted, stop/start whirlwind they still take time to nail down a handful of concrete grooves. Ascending, ill-tempered distortion continues to climb and fall in the song’s second half, only to return to the terra firma of its rock n’ roll opening.
Glimpses of tangible structure continue to materialize in the all killer no filler hooks of “BBW”. Killmen butt heads with Players Club in this slugfest bound to be a classic in the band’s live set. A cool hand guides drummer Jager in the earliest moments of “BBW” where he intersperses the outstanding string shred with tight, trophy worthy fills. Whipping into a knee to the groin heavy groove, an unexpected anthemic quality announces its presence. You can tell they were really trying to incorporate some powerhouse rock n’ roll moments into portions of this new material. This motherfucker swings in a manner guaranteed to keep heads bobbing from the first note to the last. Sparse, dark alley riffs slow things down in the eeriest of manners, even dueling with a highly appropriate sample before a final collision of steel and brain matter comes full circle.
Taking us back to 2005 is the resurrected “When Warm Hands Hold Cold Motives”. I’ve heard the original version but the Van Horne redux blows it out of the water. Blackened punk keeps their furious stomp moving ahead full-bore with a lot of building guitar/bass noise fleshing out the grey areas into something more than just noodling. In fact, noise turns into a hugely atmospheric wail, taking the listener straight through purgatory and back. You could almost imagine Tim Robbin’s falling into madness in Jacob’s Ladder with this shit exploding in his headphones. If he was wearing headphones that is, but I digress.
Not content to let the second half of their record trudge on without variety, “To the Grave?” is probably the most experimental piece I’ve heard from the band yet. It also stands as one of their finest recorded works thus far. Doom’s rotten corpse comes bile in mouth, straight for the listener’s jugular; shambling to the rhythm of molten riffage pouring overtop a saurian d & b pummel. As I ran bewildered through the graveyard to find some sort of escape from the revived corpses, I realize there is no way out; their speed increases slowly at first until I’m cut in half by the bloody scythe of high-energy noise-rock held by Death himself. There’s a helluva a lot going on this one, everything from the aforementioned doom to noisy riff rock and even a fucking piano call for dibs on your shivering soul.
Closing out this crusher is the apocalyptic sludge-dirge of “Van Horne IV” (which could easily be a lost Burning Witch instrumental) and the more traditional Madraso twitch of “Royal Rainbow”, another nerve-frying nod to the Killmen’s two mighty LPs.
You can’t really beat Madraso for jagged, intense noise-rock. Already they’ve risen to the top of the pack and Van Horne should fortify their position on the high ground. Fans of the old stalwarts as well as the new upstarts should both find something to love here. The instrumentation, vocals and songwriting are all fucking spot on and they branch out on several occasions here. Seems like the doom bug is biting all walks of life these days, and it’s nice to see Madraso get in on the action. It is something I never get sick of as long as a band threads into their sound properly. No arguing that Madraso do it damn well and should mess around with it more in the future.
Interesting to note, they’ve chosen to go with the grungier production found on the demo as opposed to the clear fluidity found on the EP, The Theme of Consequence. Not a complaint against them though because the dingy sound fits the off-the-cuff hysteria perfectly. Maybe, my CD-R copy is unmastered. Who knows? Sadly, if you’re looking to buy this one, you’ve got some waiting to do. Van Horne doesn’t hit the streets until Spring 2009 via Pseudo Records.
I’m also very happy to see such a great band get some label support,
otherwise I would have to make a few phone calls on their behalf. Anyway you
slice it; this is one of the best noise-rock debut albums you’re going
to hear all year. Please, don’t be a cheapskate and pick this one up,
along with their previous EP. If you like your Am-Rep throwbacks sporting a
rhythmic focus, you’re hard pressed to find anything newer as good as
this. Well, nothing can touch The Pope in terms of rhythmically muscular noise-rock
but Madraso is nipping closely at their heels.
Jay
Snyder HELLRIDE MUSIC
7-2008
Fucking Orane, Madraso
Friday, July 11, 2008
3 Kings Tavern
Better Than: Another doomy, sludgy, wannabe experimental heavy rock show.
Because there was some issue with a couple of touring bands getting to
the venue late (I think one of them ultimately did turn up), the show started
a little late, but it didn’t make the show feel like it was dragging out.
Madraso, a three-piece post-hardcore type of band from Seattle, kicked the night
off. Trading the typical post-hardcore screamo vocals for a menacing growl and
presenting a drummer that played like maniac with a bassist that lunged about,
Madraso was interesting and carried a sound that evoked the Minutemen and Scratch
Acid playing a show together under a single name or a scarier, more frantic
U-Men.
Tom
Murphy, Backbeat online
7-2008
BLACKHOLE/MADRASO EP RELEASE
If it seems like forever since you’ve heard from our friends Blackhole,
just know that in between occasional gigs, they’ve been holed up in their
practice space and in the studio working on new material. Until the long-awaited
full-length follow-up to their 2006 eponymous debut hits streets, those craving
a new taste of throbbing double-bass action can snack on Blackhole’s new
7-inch split EP with Seattle’s Madraso. The Pseudo Recordings label mates
share at least one thing in common: kick-ass rock you can feel in yer bones.
Due to some technical glitches, physical copies may or may not be on hand for
sale. But Pseudo’s Ryan Workman says, never fear—pre-ordering is
an option. Besides, how can it be rock & roll if everything goes according
to plan? Burt’s Tiki Lounge, (with Accidente)
Salt
Lake Weekly
2-2008
Then for a change of pace, after at 8pm is Madraso. This
Seattle band delivers fierce punk influenced rock, combining sounds of metal,
mid-90’s post-grunge, and noise rock of bands like the Jesus Lizard and
Drive Like Jehu. With back to back touring over the past two years, they seem
to have made more appearances outside of their hometown than in. What do you
know about Madraso? Tune-in Saturday to learn more about this hard-hitting local
band.
Rachel L (posted
in the KEXP Audioasis Blcg)
1-2008
The mad rock scientists of Madraso deliver the smackdown every which way. The
Seattle band’s EP The Theme of Consequence (Pseudo Recordings) kicks the
teeth out of most math rock recordings this year, the tone ranging—in
just seven short tracks—from a smoldering compactness of embers to the
hellbent wildness of a sweeping firestorm. (EF)
The Missoula Indeopendent (2007 Years Best
Noise Erika Fredrickson)
12-2007
Explosive noise rock is the order of the day from Seattle
three piece Madraso. Bass is the driving factor that propels their sound. In
every single song the low end is the foundation that the guitar seems to maneuver
around and its thick tone is one the most pummeling that I’ve heard in
quite sometime. The guitar work consists of jagged, noisy riffing that will
be a comfortable fit for fans of the Jesus Lizard and The Dazzling Killmen.
Add to that the sheer volume levels of modern day destroyers like Keelhaul and
The Player’s Club and you’ll have an idea for the kind of beating
you’ll be receiving from this EP’s seven songs.
Madraso never hang around for long, making their presence known in quick jabs that average around three minutes a piece with “The Bullfighter” being the only track that drags itself across the four minute mark. Angry vocals spit out the lyrics with a serious amount of gusto and flow almost nailing a rhymed quality in a few instances. Don’t let that scare you away because everything is delivered in a shouting or burly, screamed tone so it doesn’t approach a rap level if you know what I mean but when vocalist/guitarist Jeremy breaks it down on opening romp “Cantilever” you’ll know exactly what I mean. His spitfire delivery makes the perfect topping for their tempest of chaotic noise that builds a wall of drum n’ bass debauchery in conjunction with guitar parts that sound like Jeremy is playing through a broken instrument. Somehow among the madness this track maintains a balls out rock n’ roll stability that you can easily grab onto. Player’s Club fans will be able to dig on it for sure.
“Iteration” introduces a bit more of an oppressive vibe to the ears. While “Cantilever” is a mess of noise, it has a less foreboding air in favor of a strongly, rocked out inflection. “Iteration” allows the music to settle down a bit with the rhythm section building a busy, acerbic tension as the guitar emits a steady stream of feedback. These teeth-grinding moments seem all the more punishing when the band double-backs, retracing their steps into a hailstorm of abrasive, no frills fury.
“The Bullfighter” tends to trudge along at knuckle-dragging pace with great lyrics that describe the struggle of the man in the title against his beast counterpart. Here Madraso continue to expand on their flirtation with slower tempos. Rich textured bass riffs ratchet up the intensity to capillary bursting heights as tricky skin-pounding keeps you unsure of what direction they might head in next. I honestly get lost in the bass sound here. Such a deep, earthen vibration is given off that I find myself wanting to increase my speed to 100 mph whenever I throw this sucker in when I’m out on the road.
Yin and yang worlds collide on “Code for Contra” which has a knack for tangible, rock oriented riffs that descend into a swirl of noise and bass deconstruction. Vocals are put more in the background throughout this song creating a sublime effect that works well with the bleeding depression of the other instruments. “This is our Storm” continues with the driving power of the bass propelling the instrumental sections as the verses with lyrics tend to crawl at a snail’s pace. It seeps right into “Razorblades & Metaphors” that is almost a dead ringer for the Killmen only played at twice the volume. The bass line in this song completely lays it on the line with one of the most ass-kicking grooves I’ve heard all year in the low end department. It literally grabs you by the throat and slams you up against the wall, forcing you to take notice. In fact this entire song is on overdrive, displaying Madraso in all of their bone breaking glory. “Basic Complex Analysis” ends the album with an angular finish that features more of their love of mutated rock riffs with odd flourishes that again touches on just a bit of melody. Of course they bring down a hammer of noise to finish things off, leaving you a shaking mess in the corner of your bedroom.
Goddamn is this a scorching EP. Madraso have come out of leftfield and won
me over from start to finish. The blood of classic noise rock flows through
these veins in abundance but they’re not afraid to up the ante in the
volume department either. I wish a lyric sheet was included because as well
as I can follow most of the lyrics there are a few grey areas that are frustrating
because I’m totally digging on the content here. The lyrics are very abstract
with a lethal injection of bitterness for good measure. This thing also sounds
fantastic for being an independent release. A warm production that showcases
their sound clear as day is in tow making all of the nuanced performances standout
from one another. Fantastic disc and I’ll be on edge for the day when
they cut a full-length release. Killer.
JAY SNYDER
- HELLRIDE MUSIC
10-2007
I once described Madraso as "rumbling, discordant
rock that [sounds] like the racket of a hyperintellectual teenager living in
a foster home under the watchful eyes of Dale Crover and Ian MacKaye."
I stand by that assertion, and by my belief that all quality hard rock is best
served by taking lessons from one of the following: (1) the Melvins, (2) Fugazi,
or (3) Drive Like Jehu. Bassist Doug Owen seems to take a few cues from Shellac's
Bob Weston and No Means No's Rob Wright as well, which only fortifies the relentless,
sludgy brutality of drummer Chris Jager. However, Madraso are no punk-rock elitists;
their love of classic heavy metal shines past their more angular moments, dropping
in judiciously throughout last year's self-released debut, The Theme of Consequence.
Though they often end up on Northwest bills with like-minded peers Akimbo or
Portland's Black Elk, scheduling these noisy kids in between the discordant
and keyboard-abusing assault of PartMan PartHorse and the chaotic squall of
the Pleasureboaters is smart programming. It also makes the Tractor the best
place to be if you like punk in your vitamins.
HANNAH
LEVIN - SEATTLE WEEKLY
07-2007
MADRASO - "The Theme of Consequence" CD (diy)
Somewhere between heavy post rock, math rock, and discordant hard rock. It's
less techy than most math rock and at times reminds me of JESUS LIZARD or SHELLAC.
Nice guitar tones, like SHELLAC, half spoken/sung vocals that are barked at
times, and fairly heavy. There is something about the band being noisy yet each
individual instrument can be heard in the mix, in particular the bass. Again,
that reminds me of SHELLAC.
**1. Driving bass with guitar in the background. Then the guitar player hits
his distortion pedal. Discordant guitar and vocals way up front. I don't think
the bass player lets up the entire track.
2. Sounds a lot like track 1. The quiet parts seem to fall flat.
3. Starts with just vocals. Slightly arty. Stays somewhat slow and not as heavy.
**4. Big bass. Driving track bordering on pummeling. The track that reminds
me most of SHELLAC.
**5. Prominent bass and vocals. The guitar isn't as heavy but more discordant.
**6. FCC (Fuck) Faster. Vocals sound like they are sung through a bullhorn.
**7. More math rock leaning.
Good stuff -mph
Mike
- KZSU (STANFORD)
07-2007
One of the cool things about living in the Pacific Northwest is that there’s
always a gaggle of bands at any giving moment drawing inspiration from the likes
of Shellac, Unwound, and Drive Like Jehu. I’ve seen them come and go over
the years, and in my world, they pretty much all rule. I’m a sucker for
that kind of shit; what can I say? I could namecheck about ten right now off
the top of my head, but why waste the space? I’d rather spend it telling
you that Madraso are quite possibly better than all of them combined. The reason?
Metal. These guys bring the drunken post rock and mix it up with more than a
wee bit of unflinching brutality. It’s a good combination, and it’s
one that I haven’t been able to keep out of my CD player for more than
a week in the last nine months. Be on the lookout for great things from these
guys. If Theme Of Consequence were just a tad longer, it’d be a classic.
-John
Gillanders REDEFINE MAGAZINE
05-2007
Seattle-ites MADRASO sound like These Arms Are Snakes
when the Arms still sounded like themselves — that is to say, when they
were good. And that's good. We liked TAAS' early output and generally want more
of that kind of propulsive, hook-laden cynicism.
"Trophy Wife" specifically plies that trade, building drums atop a
churning bass; a nimble, dark guitar melody atop the drums; and distorto-vocals
atop it all — only to deconstruct the whole thing with a quick, thrashy
breakdown. "Code for Contra" does a similar trick, but in reverse,
using finger-tapped bass to create an articulate rhythm upon which to constrain
an unstructured melody.
More broadly, the Zombie Room bill (Madraso, along with openers BoV, Lines Collide
and 19 Points of Nowhere) offers long-form, prog-indebted hard rock in startling
variety, with one singer, with two singers, with no singers and with a clarinet.
Not bad for a night's rock.
- Luke Baumgarten
The Inlander
**admittedly, we had to cancel this show in order to be in SLC the next
night, but we thank the author very much for the kind review!
05-2007
“Cantilever,” the first track on Madráso’s
The Theme of Consequence, sounds suspiciously like Fugazi and the Jesus Lizard
had a few shots of whiskey together, then got their hands on Kenny Loggins’
“Footloose” and had their way with it. After such an opener, there’s
no going back: no more school dances, no more Kevin Bacon.
Madráso skillfully bludgeons its way through sludgy bass lines,
steely chords and barreli
ng drum beats with oxen force, each track a measured concoction of mathy guitar
and charred vocals. “Razorblades & Metaphors” unleashes a hurricane
of rock, held together by its own force and pummeling forward without any sign
of averting mass destruction. “Iteration” stops and starts its wintry
riffs without warning, growing in bulk and strength as the song goes on. This
Seattle band knows how to play their instruments; moreover, they know how to
deliver clashing cadences with magnetic verve.
The Theme of Consequence might be a quick journey into heavy rock in just seven
short tracks. But by the time the spotlight has faded and the album is over,
Madráso manages to leave the stage a terrific shambles.
-Ericka Frederickson THE MISSOULA INDEPENDENT
05-2007
Back on this side of town, the Seattle hard-punk band Madraso comes to the Higgins
Hall (Boys and Girls Club) on the same Friday night. Madraso has drawn comparisons
to Fugazi, and we guarantee that you won’t hear anything but a ringing
in your ears for the rest of the weekend.
Madraso makes lurching, nearly subhuman sounds, cranking out dark chords, howled
vocals and a grinding and metallic sonic boom. If you’re in need of some
head-banging, Madraso has you covered.
-Michael Moore THE MISSOULAN
02-2007
Madraso = NoMeansNo + Killing Joke + Enemymine
Madraso has been compared to Fugazi more than once, and although I can see the
sense in that, I’m gonna take a leap and compare them to a few other bands.
Killing Joke’s jagged, angular bass lines and drumming (minus excess reverb
& industrial overtones) surface in Madraso; so does Form of Rocket’s
mathematical tech-riffs that’d make a physicist’s head spin. A lot
of the viciously cutting punk vocal inflections remind me of lead singer Mike
Williams’ style (EyeHateGod). Madraso’s fast-forward flailing recklessness
reminds me of Rye Coalition’s energy, musical texture and guitar-picking,
but a million times more serious in lyrical content and overall feel. Madraso
aren’t doing anything terribly pioneeric, but they are tight as hell and
accomplished. At their core, they’re a punk band in heart and sound, and
their time signature work and discordant, chromatic, swirling movements that
come charging outta the gate like a bull in heat are nothing less than excellent.
–Rebecca
Vernon SLUG MAGAZINE
12-2006 NOT SO SWEET RELIEF
AS we stare down the barrel of yet another overblown season of American
Idol, our senses demand loud, aggressive, passionate sounds to compensate
for reality TV's pre-packaged pop shock. Who better to answer this challenge
than Form of Rocket, Blackhole and Seattle's Madraso whose new Pseudo Recordings
distributed CD The Theme of Consequence, packs plenty of fierce minor
chords and drill-seargent vocals to f__k the ennui away.
Salt Lake City Weekly
12-2006
Falling somewhere between gutteral noise and surgical metal. Seattle's Madraso
carves riffs into obsidian slivers of sheer animosity. The Band's recent The
Theme of Consequence is about as original as a knee to the groin, but it
packs enough blunt force and ragged edges to make quite an impact. The band
will be a perfect fit for local opener Fucking Orange...Also opening, Go Patriot.
The Onion
12-2006
What's that low, rumbling sound peppered with shouting and minor guitar chords?
Is it The Jesus Lizard, crawling out from under a rock for a "reunion"?
Is it Steve Albini reviving his post-punk band Shellac? Nope, it's Seattle group
Madraso, which has ripped several pages from the books of late '80s Dischord
Records acts to write its own chapter full of lurching, guttural, deconstructionist
rock. The three-piece band consists of drummer Chris Jager, guitarist and singer
Jeremy Curles, and bassist Doug Owen, the latter of whom spent several years
in 'Zona, playing for bands like Tucson's Fistsized and Valley terror-punks
Cancer of the Piss. Madraso self-released its debut album, The Theme of Consequence,
last year, and is now in the midst of a "winter tour." And since it
doesn't look like The Jesus Lizard is going to regroup anytime soon, fans of
noise jams would do well to check out Madraso's brand of mutated math rock.
Niki
D'Andrea, Phoenix New Times
12-2006, LEAVE THE FIST
Anyone remember the excellent Tucson band Fistsized. who broke up about two
years ago? Well, the reason the broke up was because one of their members, Doug
Owen, was relocating to Seattle. This week brings a chance to find out what
he's been up to since he left, when his new band Madraso, takes the stage at
Vaudeville Cabaret, 110 E COngress St. The Trio recently self-released an EP,
the Theme of Consequence which contains seven rythm heavy songs that
will appeal to anyone who misses Fugazi or the '90s output of Dischord Records.
It's good stuff and you can hear it for yourself on Saturday, December 16...
Steven
Seigel, Tucson Weekly
12-2006
"Part of the fun of going to shows at the Sunset Tavern is knowing that
everyone will run next door at some point to have a drink at the Ballard Smoke
Shop- a detour that has saved many from enduring an unapetizing opener. No such
escapes will be necessary this evening, as all three bands on this bill are
worth your time and money. The literature loving lotharios BloodHag will sharpen
your senses, and if the formidable forces in Black Elk don't pulverize you into
unrecognizable shards of black metal,you'll be treated to a scenic drive in
the direction of Jehu by the good boys in Madraso. Can't really go wrong with
that triple threat, can you?"
Hannah Levin,
The Stranger
8-2006
Editors Pick
Seattle and Portland area hardcore and noise rock crews
acknowledge that Madraso somehow has some play in their collective scenes. But
ripping off Henry Rollins should only be tolerated so far and then this trio
should have to, you know, do like fifty jumping jacks a day to make up for it.
I guess I’d love it if I hadn’t heard the gritty bass-heavy groove
of Jesus Lizard or the hollowed post-hardcore textures of Henry Rollins previously.
J-Sin
Smother.net
4-2006
"Local band Madraso kicked off the night with rumbling, discordant rock
that sounded like the racket of a hyperintellectual teenager living in a foster
home under the watchful eyes of Dale Crover and Ian MacKaye. Admittedly, sound
issues meant that some of that low end was more bowel loosening than the band
intended, but their rhythm section still has the weight and dexterity to propel
this band to more prominent billing soon."
Hannah
Levin, The Stranger
2-2006
"Madraso are a highly promising angular punk outfit guaranteed to prick
the ears of any Fugazi or Drive Like Jehu fan."
The
Stranger
11-2005
"Madraso recall the glory days of the early '90s Dischord acts with hints
of the Jesus Lizard and Shellac. Shouting and minor chords are to be expected."
The
Seattle Weekly
"An intricate sonic weave, sort of like audible pick-up-sticks, except
they keep dumping the whole pile."
Olympian
Shadow Farm