Artist: Nothing
Song: “Bent Nail”
Album: Guilty of Everything
Label: Relapse

I really enjoy shoegaze, but for some reason, Nothing wasn’t on my radar. Maybe it is because I just watched all of Twin Peaks in a week, and I have the lingering effects of that ’90s experience left coursing through my veins, causing me to traverse through any type of shoegazing experience I could find, but I am very upset I had not listened to Nothing up until this point. But, if there was any track to introduce me to the band’s music, I am glad “Bent Nail” was my orientation. Believe me when I say, you are not ready for this experience.

The track is flooded with sound, tinged with a punk attitude and a lot of reverb, as sparse and open as the sound may get, Nothing know how to consciously create an atmosphere. I was worried at first, wondering if Nothing would get lost in their sound of a whole lot of something, but they have surely mastered their art, and that demands to be respected. Walls of distortion flow seamlessly in and out of each other, leaving you heavy chested with a massive discharge of autonomic euphoria. Pounding drums, fuzzed guitars, and a tone unmatched in recent acts, the first 2/3’s of the track is pure joy. But, around the 1:45 second mark, something inexplicable happens.

A wave flawlessly flows over the track, and I can not remember a sonic change as worthy as “Bent Nail” in recent years. Finding myself uplifted with the build-up until this point, Nothing takes you somewhere you weren’t sure you could get to. The concluding act of the track was the final push to bring my wallet over to Relapse Records’ website and pre-order their debut LP, Guilty of Everything.

With the introduction of “Bent Nail,” I cannot wait for the experience their debut LP will bring. With another, fantastic track streaming on their Bandcamp, I believe Guilty of Everything will pose as one of the most expansive experiences of this new year. Do yourself a favor and give this band your time. They deserve it.

Written by Drew Caruso – Follow him on Twitter.

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Drew Caruso

Drew Caruso is a Bostonian who, when not writing about music and film, spends his time getting lost in New England, reading books, talking about science whether people want to listen or not, and more. To see the thoughts of a scientist by day and a writer by night, follow him on Twitter.

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