Stoke-On-Trent (that’s in Scotland) is not known as a hotbed for much of anything musically, but then again, maybe I’m not in the know? If you are, let me know? Either way, Thisclose has put the place on the map for me. Not just another metal tinged D-beat band, Thisclose is an awesome and self consciously self-aware metal d-beat bunch. Let’s run down the members, if for no other reason than that they all have great names: Rodney Shades is on lead vocals, The Nibbler is on lead lead guitar, and then there’s the rhythm section: Thrones on lead bass, and the appropriately named Thumper on lead drums.
This fearsome Scottish foursome are apparently a divisive band, “some dismiss them as a mere novelty act with ludicrous “singing” whilst die hard Cal aficionados praise their innovative approach to an extremely limited palette in an over-saturated scene.” I’m with the latter on this one, because this “innovative approach to an extremely limited palette” perspective describes precisely what must be the perspective of any person making great punk music in this day and age, this holy year we know as 2015. I don’t really understand the supposed criticism of this band at all. Are they being dismissed by some because of their direct identification and honest and upfront manner about what subgenre familiar band they’re stealing from?? If so, I’ll have to disagree further, because I mean seriously, there are very very few “punk” bands operating today that anyone would ever call innovative or original. “Punk” is the worship of a matrix of subgenres, and a template from which to explode (and a lot of black clothing), right? Thisclose is going directly for DISCHARGE, and other earlier purveyors of Dis-fervor, the Japanese band DISCLOSE. Look no further than the very fresh LP, Chapter III, that the band visits Boston on July 10th in support of. They are fucking killing it on this record, the vocals — affected out squawk — are reminiscent of a little kid singing for a punk band, where the mother of the kid is the band PONYTAIL. SPHC put this out, more Baltimore for ya! This record further solidifies that label’s high quality rep. Go see Thisclose when they come to town or you’re not thinking clearly.
