by Tim Crisp (@betteryetpod)
Chicago band Bruges comes from a long line of heavy hitters. With members listing credits from the likes of Angry Gods, Moral Void, and Den, there is no shortage of brutality packed into this four-piece. They released a 5 song demo of heavy, feedback-laden, mid-tempo hardcore in the summer of 2016, and Post-Trash is pleased to be sharing their newest track “Atop A Precipice” below.
While working with the formula established two summers ago, Bruges presents a more restrained approach with their latest offering which was engineered by bass player Matt Russell and guitarist Dylan Piskula (who engineered the demo as well). Piskula’s guitars shriek in a wash of feedback and ring out long open chords as a prodding, deliberate pace is held by drummer Nate Kappes and Russell’s overdriven bass. While “Atop A Precipice” still hits with the same fevered intensity of the band’s previous output, Patrick Nordyke’s vocals are notably scaled back during the track’s build. Coated in reverb and placed within Piskula’s acerbic guitars, Nordyke’s wide-eyed delivery gains steam over the track’s five and a half minutes. As tension builds, Piskula begins to fill the open space with splashes of confrontational feedback, while the band moves towards a slow, discomforting climax. It’s a masterful utilization of space and restraint, as noise and desperation slowly put the listener into a vice grip.
Bruges will be opening for Belgian black metal lords Weigedood on 9/26 at Subterranean in Chicago.