Below the Radar May 2009

BELOW THE RADAR

I've been thinking about a few bands that have been very impressive to me but seem to have always or just seem to miss the radar to the musical world. I'm going to talk about a few bands every month on this front. So be on the look out for the Below the Radar section on the zine from now on.





RUSSIAN CIRCLES
http://www.russiancircles.net/
http://www.myspace.com/russiancircles

Russian Circles is a three piece instrumental rock/metal band from Chicago. Similar to fellow Chicago residents Pelican, Russian Circles play epic, sprawling music which runs the gamut of heavy discordant metal, to soft delicate passages. They are also known for their energetic live shows



DAVID GALAS
http://www.davidgalas.com/
http://www.myspace.com/davidgalas

David Galas is one of the former members of the darkwave band 'Lycia'. He has been credited with working on many Lycia releases including 'Lycia-Live', 'The Burning Circle And Then Dust', 'Bleak-Vane', 'Cold' and 'Empty Spaces'. Shortly after Lycia broke up in 2000, David began writing and recording new material for a solo release. Finally after six years he has completed the CD and has been signed to Vendlus Records




COP SHOOT COP
http://copshootcop.com
http://www.myspace.com/copshootcopslackjaw

Starting with their intentionally confrontational (and controversial) name, New York City's Cop Shoot Cop are descended from the darker impulses of the early-'80s no wave movement that produced noisy, disagreeable, anti-social, but often very intriguing bands. Cop Shoot Cop eschew the impulse of pop altogether, preferring a rumbling, clattering, deafening, metallic sound that focuses on the band's two-bass, no-guitar attack. The song narratives tend toward simplistic doom-and-gloom observations -- a point they often belabor. But when this bummer-rock clicks, it's oddly compelling, if slightly intimidating stuff, crammed to the gills with the standard litany of contemporary urban angst: anomie, alienation, and boredom. Add to this the odd meters, low-end bassist Natz's yelling (he never describes it as singing), and forays into pure noise, and what you end up with is an anti-rock style that is furious, frightening, and powerful. Despite the inherent anti-commerciality of their music, as well as the band's disdain for corporate-controlled major labels, they did land a contract with Interscope Records, part of the Atlantic family.



Polkadot Cadaver

http://www.myspace.com/polkadotcadaver

Polkadot Cadaver is a band formed by members of the now defunct notable Baltimore avant-garde metal band Dog Fashion Disco. The band is musically similar to Dog Fashion Disco and has already inherited many of their fans.