Coalesce’s music has consistently pushed the boundaries of the hardcore and metal genres, forging a mind-boggling obsession with strange, shifting tempos with power, noise, groove, and a creativity paralleled only by the band’s peers in Dillinger Escape Plan and Botch. The origins of Coalesce can be traced back to a band called Breach—a group not to be confused with the European outfit that shares their name. Breach formed in January of 1994 with Jes Steineger on guitar, Stacy Hilt on bass, and drummer James Redd. After a few abortive attempts at finding a musical direction with a different vocalist, screamer Sean Ingram—late of the band Restrain—was invited to join the fold.
As Coalesce, the quartet began to define its own sound, bridging together odd time signatures, an abrasive vocal style, and wandering guitar dissonance. They wrote five songs together and performed for free in basements, eventually releasing a self-titled 7” single through Chapter Records that quickly blew through its initial 1,000-copy pressing. The buzz generated by the single and the band’s increasingly volatile live performances drew the attention of metal powerhouse label Earache, which invited Coalesce to become the third band aboard their short-lived New Chapter imprint. The resulting record was a CD version of their three-song 002 demo. A year later, Coalesce released a split-CD EP with Britain’s long-running Napalm Death. The two Earache releases were supported by a six-week tour with similarly minded Florida band Bloodlet and 108.
Upon returning home, Coalesce broke up for the first time, with Redd going off to college in Baltimore shortly afterward. In 1996 the band re-formed, this time with manic drummer/multi-instrumentalist James DeWees aboard. The newly reinvigorated band signed a deal with Philadelphia’s Edison label, which released Coalesce’s debut full-length album, Give Them Rope. It was a bludgeoning affair wrought with Ingram’s increasingly deep bellow and lyrical musings, personal polemics unlike many of the band’s contemporaries. Split singles with Boy Sets Fire and the Get Up Kids followed, with Coalesce pairing up with each band to “reinterpret” one another’s songs. Nathan Ellis replaced Hilt in the band and then Functioning on Impatience was released through band pal Dan Askew’s Second Nature Recordings. The record saw the band streamlining their sound, sacrificing a bit of musical brutality in favor of a subtle accessibility, all the while remaining incredibly creative. The same label also released a record that presented newly recorded versions of the 002 songs alongside tracks from a long out of print single, titling it A Safe Place/002.
A trip to Red House Studios to record an album’s worth of ‘70s rock songs resulted in seven Led Zeppelin covers instead, as Coalesce became so enthralled by the handful of Zeppelin songs they had originally elected to record that they decided to pay tribute solely to them. The songs were released as There Is Nothing New Under the Sun through Boston’s Hydra Head label, the same company that issued the split with Boy Sets Fire. All of these releases, coupled with a handful of live appearances, culminated in several larger metal-oriented labels pursuing the band. After narrowing it down to two labels, Coalesce resolved to go with Relapse, deciding to break up once again before the recording of their new label debut had even begun.
Coalesce reassembled long enough to make 0:12 Revolution in Just Listening. It was arguably their best effort by that point—accentuated by Ingram’s now unmistakable lyrical prose, Steineger’s now remarkably Jimmy Page-like approach to riff writing (albeit combined with his own bizarre time signatures), Ellis’ fluid basslines, and DeWees’ scattershot and powerhouse drumming. Members stayed busy—DeWees with the Get Up Kids (for whom he had begun playing keyboards), Reggie and the Full Effect and My Chemical Romance; Ellis fronting a band called the Casket Lottery on guitar and vocals (together with the guy he replaced in Coalesce, Hilt). Ingram was involved with various projects—including a live appearance screaming for a then singer-less Dillinger Escape Plan at Krazy Fest 4 in Louisville, KY.
Coalesce reactivated in 2005 replacing James Dewees on guitars with Nathan “junior” Richardson from the Casket Lottery and immediately started experimenting with sound again and released the Salt and Passage 7”, and in 2009, the band released Ox, their first full-length record in nearly a decade. The album was met with critical acclaim earning them a perfect score in Decibel records when it came out as well as making the cut for their top 100 albums of the decade. Ox saw coalesce tour on their material for the first time in Europe and England and performing live on the BBC Radio 1’s “Rock Show”.
After nearly 12 years of radio silence, in early 2024 coalesce announced “fuck it, we’ll do it” and booked a slot on the final year of Furnace Fest in Alabama. Replacing Nate “junior” on drums is Jeff Gensterblum of Small Brown Bike fame. Shortly after Relapse announced that all of their albums were to be repressed on vinyl. Coalesce is currently booking shows world wide and in the process of writing their next album for Relapse Records.
The legendary CAVE IN makes a highly anticipated return with their Relapse Records debut, Heavy Pendulum, their first full studio record in over a decade. The band (Stephen Brodsky – Guitar/Vocals, Adam McGrath – Guitar/Vocals, John-Robert Conners – Drums) sees a revival following the addition of Nate Newton (Converge, Doomriders, Old Man Gloom) on bass and vocals.
Produced by Kurt Ballou at God City, Heavy Pendulum showcases everything that has long established CAVE IN as one of the best contemporary rock, hardcore, and metal bands since their monumental 1998 debut Until Your Heart Stops. From the driving tracks such as crushing opener “New Reality” to the metallic edge of “Blood Spiller”, Heavy Pendulum sees CAVE IN look back at their discography and capture their most memorable, visceral, and forward-thinking moments to create a record that is all at once familiar and in true CAVE IN fashion, ahead of the mainstream.
‘Access To The Lonely’ is the sophomore LP from RID OF ME, the heavy melodic noise punk outfit hailing from Philadelphia. Written on the heels of the band’s first LP ‘Traveling’ and carefully crafted throughout the strange times of 2021 & 2022, the album sees the band grow in every way possible. From the production, to the songwriting twist and turns, to maintaining the best of what makes them unique, the band has reached a heightened level of maturity. ‘Access To The Lonely’ is like a prolonged sigh followed by a rushed scream after a weekend you’d rather forget.
Recorded at Gradwell House Studios with Matt Weber (Sweet Pill), mixed at Antisleep Audio by Scott Evans (Thrice, Kowloon Walled City, Yautja) and mastered at Chicago Mastering Services by Matt Barnhart (Metz, Pissed Jeans, Bob Mould), the 37 minute album sees significant sonic development beyond anything the band has done to date. The once-core trio (Itarya Rosenberg, Mike McGinnis & Mike Howard) added longtime friend, co-conspirator and fellow musician from previous bands, Jon DeHart on second guitar and his addition shines. This is a two-guitar album through and through. McGinnis and Dehart’s melodies dance around the steady buzz-saw bass, Howard’s drums switch between immovable calming repetition to rapid changes from dance beats to blast beats and back again. The band’s previous foray into bludgeoning noise punk peaks with dynamic and moody post punk bummer valleys is pushed to a new limit on ‘Access To The Lonely’. All capped by Rosenberg’s brand of self-admonishing-yet-righteous personal storytelling that is frighteningly relatable to us all.
If these words weren’t enough for you to take a peek, let Kevin Whitley of iconic Austin psych noise rock progenitors CHERUBS reel you in a little further:
“Rid of Me is a rock band, perhaps a noise rock band, from Philly. You might guess they’re from Philly in a few tries… but when Mike Howard (drums) opens his mouth, you know. McGinnis and DeHart (guitars) can get you close, but with Howard you know. Philly is like an older brother (in this toddler of a country) protecting the younger siblings from the bullies – with a weary efficiency born of having slogged through all the bullshit first. Their Brotherly Love thing is real… as real as the Brotherly Punch In The Mouth. Their rock thing is very direct – not much mincing about. The song ‘Rid of Me’ starts… waltzing unadorned. The care is raw, and makes you feel a bit exposed… it’s a relief to be hit in the face when the chorus rolls up (when Itarya (vocals, bass) eats your heart). Thank you for hitting us in the face, because the sweet stuff was harder to deal with… and on it goes through ‘Access To The Lonely’ – Rid of Me’s second full length release. These songs know they’re not letting you off the hook, because Rid of Me doesn’t let itself off the hook. Cut, Hell Of It and Libertarian Noise Rock are certainly not letting anybody catch a break… and by the time The Weekend rolls around, you’ll be thankful for any salve you can get. Just like in real life. Someone in the audience said, ‘Damn, this is straight-the-fuck-up ROCK… where you been, friend?’. Every song is fed, watered, and cared for as if hard rock were still a real thing – and it’s nice to know it still is. Thx Rid of Me. Thx Philly.”
