Cutthroats 9
With his previous outfit Unsane, Chris Spencer (guitar/vocals) assisted in pioneering a more aggressive, less studied direction for noise rock, and for that matter, hardcore and extreme music in general. While developing the blueprint for noise-metal bands to follow, Spencer cut a remarkable, hearing damaged swath through underground music, inspiring a devoted, cult-like following around the globe for a decade. As a power trio, Unsane relied upon a hammering, power-press rhythm section, Spencer's searing six string howl, and distorted vocals that resembled nothing if not the sound of a man trapped in the New York Subway system. And as the principle songwriter, vocalist, and founder of Unsane, Spencer has dropped precisely that amount of weaponry on the table with Cutthroats 9, with plenty extra in tow. In fact, this trio of dangerous men ratchets up Unsane's intensity level, harnessing a dynamo of fear, rage, chaos, and vengeance, with each track barely escaping derailment and destroyed equipment. Live, Cutthroats 9 is another story, where smashed drums, trashed guitars, and a general splintering of gear is a nightly experience.