snort - ron

Snort

Ron
self-released; 2013

4.3 out of 5

By Matt Jensen

For some reason when I first heard I was going to be reviewing a band called Snort I thought I would be hearing standard pop punk. To my surprise and delight the music couldn't be farther from what I thought. Snort is a five-piece band from Wisconsin who write instrumental pieces that combine math rock, technical and creative prowess and some of the best guitar parts I have heard in quite some time. The closest comparison I can make is U.S. Maple in that they both embrace clean guitars and dissonance but really this band is about original as it gets in this day and age. On their recent album Ron they provide us with seven songs that are well crafted and never at any point did I find myself yearning for vocals. Another major factor to this album’s success is the production. It’s stellar and could have been a mess if it wasn’t for the efforts of the engineers.

This is a guitar album from top to bottom but the drumming and bass work is unreal at times. There are countless guitar parts that make you do a double take and so many changes throughout the song it boggles your mind. 

The album opens with “Option Tank” where in the first 30 seconds I fell in love with the guitar parts that sounded like an out of tune surf song. From there on out it’s time to buckle in and go for a ride. The complex timings and interplay between the instruments is constant throughout. What is most enjoyable about the song is  not just the technically proficient sounds but that they are immensely creative sounds that are fun to listen to. 

“Anger, the Devil and Lava” starts off a bit slow but transitions into some of the most complex and rewarding material on the album while “Azlan” drenches in an unending barrage of guitar scales and a very brief moment of vocals. “Mechan cal” may cause vertigo at high volumes and had me convinced the drummer is in fact an actual metronome. They close with  “These Doors Have Motion Sensors” where they utilize a bit more distortion than normal and leave you with your jaw on the floor.

This album accomplishes what few musicians can by creating instrumental music that is engaging by being aesthetically pleasing and technically impressive. I’m not even sure what else to say but don't pass this one up. 

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