About
Coalesce's stormy existence seems to have reached an endpoint, but the legendary Kansas City Metalcore quartet have left in their wake a string of influential releases noteworthy for their mix of brains and brutality. The band's unyieldingly intense "Quantum Physics of Hardcore" Punk/Metal approach has inspired scads of similarly forward-thinking extremists in recent years with its blend of emotionally fed-up vocals, metallic guitars and blinding odd-time rhythms. It's also taken the band to some interesting places, musically speaking: they've done split recordings with bands ranging from Grindcore granddaddies Napalm Death to Emo/Punk-Pop homeboys the Get Up Kids, and in 1999 they surprised folks with a blistering EP of Led Zeppelin covers, There is Nothing New Under the Sun. The latter experience no doubt rubbed off on the band's studio swan song, 0:12 Revolution in Just Listening, their most accessible, groove-oriented effort to date (they even play in 4/4 time for a few seconds), though still a pretty chaotic and exhausting listen by most standards.
- Will York
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