3.29.2007 at The Bowery Ballroom, NYC

Atmospheric. That is the initial word which springs to mind when witnessing this collective’s magnetic set. At the outset of their appearance, the intensity of the group’s subtle mastery of instrument interplay is almost too much to bear, until the grandiose climax to this torturous build up at long last unleashes onto the unsuspecting crowd an enormous and consuming wall of sound. It’s pretty breathtaking, and this is only the opening song. The chemistry between each musician exercises a dichotomy that gives the illusion that all the instruments are playing in unison, all while each contributing their own unique solo improvisations. It is clear that this is a band which has honed its chords into a sound which is both classical and postmodern (take the feel of Evanescence-minus Amy Lee’s vocals-and pair it with any of Bach or Beethoven’s compositions), and offered it up to the masses with a harmonic delivery which is deliriously all-encompassing. It’s hard not to walk away from this performance without being in a mesmerized trance.

-Justin Thomas