A Place To Bury Strangers preview

A Place To Bury Strangers
Schubas, Chicago
Sunday, February 17, 2008

By Sunday you should have Valentine’s Day out of your system: Drained of the inner pain and humiliation; ready to exact revenge on a society that places vacant companionship above all else; looking for A Place To Bury Strangers.

Their name implies death metal or at least hardcore punk (they’re co-headlining with a band called Holy Fuck), but while A Place To Bury Strangers have been one of the many to hold the “loudest band in New York” distinction, their outward appearance is post-collegiate joe. Cue the neighbors: “They were nice; kept to themselves.” On their self-titled debut from Killer Pimp, the trio are anything but. The treble-filled distortion pierces speakers at any volume as industrial beats that straddle Joy Division and “Stigmata”-era Ministry carve up anyone still standing.

Tracks like “To Fix The Gash In Your Head” will give great relief to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, who can finally pass those Jesus & Mary Chain tags to someone else, but APTBS don’t treat their influences with enough reverence to be distracting. (Incidentally, they’ve opened for both bands.) “The Falling Sun” waits for someone to close the casket, “Breathe” comes off like a lost Wax Trax! 45, and “She Dies” skulks until deteriorating upon reentry. Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download songs from their Myspace page.

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly