If you have had the chance to see these guys live then you already know. Shawnie is out there with a drum, face hidden, a drum machine blinking in the vicinity. Arian is standing, barely playing, or so it seems, but creating walls of scuzzing, hissing distortion that are broken up by spare passages where it’s just Shawnie’s instantly recognizable whine and a beat. An industrial duo, beats and scum. Scum vocals. Scum guitar. Much like both member’s other bands, BUGS AND RATS and GUERILLA TOSS, KTB is noisy as hell while still maintaining desperate contact with the groove. The band’s name is a catch all acronym. Ketamine The Benevolent is employed for identifying purposes on the soundcloud. I like that.

There’s an entire album of this stuff in the bag if anyone with a mind, and a few bucks wants to make a smart move and put it out. All we have for listening here though is “Medic.” Shawnie’s sing song skitters across a bouncing bass drum centric beat. The guitar moves back and forth between barely there and filling the entire frame on a dime, and with regularity during the track’s 2:15 run time. Close your eyes. Your body is moving. Your ears are bleeding. A sweet little bit of overwhelming. If you love BUGS AND RATS, or BURNT SKULL say (both playing the fest in November actually), definitely watch for the moment when this whole album sees the light of day. It will immediately darken your day, but in a most pleasurable way. Heavy and dark sounds for the coming winter, yes.

KTB plays @ HASSLE FEST 6 on saturday 11/8 @ Cuisine en Locale in Somerville.