(((((OPENmind/SATURATEDbrain))))): CALLOW

Monday, 23 December 2013

CALLOW

Band: CALLOW

Genres: Punk / Noise Rock / Grind / Post-Hardcore / Hardcore / Sludge / Crust / Screamo
Related artists: Lovechild, Cerce, Grower, Featherweight and Congenial Death.
Country: Philadelphia, USA
Years Active: 2011-present
Song: "Asleep"
Album: "Disappear Here"
Year: 2012
Label(s): Zegema Beach Records / Self Help Records / It's A Trap! Records /
               Middle-Man Records / Hydrogen Man Records / Contraszt! Records
This post's artist is from the December 2013 Mix. This is track #9.
You can download the December 2013 Mix right here.
For fans of: Cassilis, Furnace, Jungbluth, Canyons, One Eyed God Prophecy,
                   Union Of Uranus, Graf Orlock, Phoenix Bodies, Alpinist, Bleeding Kansas,
                  Creeper, Ruptures, The Setup, Black Kites, Totem Skin and Capacities.

CALLOW straddles a few fine lines - in a good way, of course. I'm almost sure the band's sound was initially drawn from influences like Cassilis (same city) and Alpinist (now Jungbluth, with whom they have an upcoming split). Over the course of a few listens you'll hear varying styles that also include caustic screamo, post/hardcore, grind, crust and even some post-rock leanings. It's like intelligent, chaotic hardcore for those who think hardcore is too slow and simple (says I).

The band employs back-and-forth vocals at all the right times (see Totem Skin and The Setup). They bring on crushing breakdowns when needed (see Creeper and Curl Up And Die). These fellas spazz the fuck out (see Graf Orlock and Phoenix Bodies). They even have the chilled ambient-rock section (see Jungbluth and Bleeding Kansas) in the band's quintessential song "Asleep" . That's enough name-dropping for now, even if they're pretty accurate. I must reiterate, "Asleep" truly houses all of the stylistic heads that CALLOW rears and it serves as an anchor for the entire 'Disappear Here' EP. If anything, check out that song, as the outro is absolutely stellar.

The band has a 7" split with Jungbluth coming out that should be released early 2014, if we're lucky. I've heard the songs and they are much darker than the EP. Zegema Beach Records will be releasing CALLOW's next EP sometime mid-late 2014, which I'm fucking stoked about.

Anthony (vocals) told me that the band's new material will be even darker than the Jungbluth split and more influenced by crust bands. All of the CALLOW members took part in an Idioteque.com interview coming out soon that will explain the band a hell of a lot better than I can, which will be linked once it's posted. Until then, donate a buck or two and grab the band's EP here.

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DISCOGRAPHY

2012 - Disappear Here cassetteEP (stream/donate/download here)

2013 - Self Help Records Compilation (contributed "Why's/Wherefores") (stream here)

2014 - Jungbluth Split 7"

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(2012) CALLOW - "Asleep" (from 'Disappear Here')