The Autokinoton
Tour Pressing Volume One (2004)
wrongstring
The Autokinoton (Greek for âself-motivating') hails from Denver, CO and is âthe' band to watch out for this next year. The dual guitar assault and rapid-fire bass builds a carefully chaotic harmony beneath the throat tearing gasps of vocalist Joe Triscari. Since comparison is skepticism's bedfellow, imagine Converge and Neurosis locked in a Muay Thai glass-fisted death match while all of heaven's angels weep and the fires of hell boil the sea. Imagine a handheld nuclear bomb encased in a glass bubble; you get to push the button and it detonates with the sound and fury inherent in its atomic make up, as it does nothing to you but inspire long-winded metaphors about bands you think everyone should listen to or at least experience.
The five-song sampler, hand screenprinted on CD with a very classy clear slipcase is merely an appetizer for the meal that will have people shitting with glee once they get the album released. The third track, entitled "The Theory Of Things That Never Die," is an intense full body flailing in a mass-of-awe-struck-bodies song with staccato guitar riffs that crescendo into harmonic bliss as lyrics like "Crawl back inside / love and the hate / snake that eats the flames" shower the listener like schrapnel from a grenade in a bucket of nails.
"Strip It Away" is another shining example of how the band's use of dynamics á la Isis/Neurosis is combined with the punk rock affectation of Fugazi, At the Drive-In, and Nation of Ulysses. Then again on the track "Time To Leave The Cubicle" subtle keyboards infiltrate the bridge, bulding like a wave as the vocalist chants prayer-like "Grasping / clawing / bitting through the ropes / of a life not worth shit." An indictment of the cubicle hasn't been more eloquently screamed and pounded by many other bands - if you're wearing a suit and tie, you may already be dead.
Seeing them live is another story and in all reality, the recording does nothing but wet the palate for the fury of the live show. Singer Joseph Triscari hurls himself around the stage while the white hot strings of Shaun (guitar), Justin (guitar) and Josh (bass) harmonize and pummel along with drummer Andy who plays his kit like a man possessed. The Autokinoton is the new cool. An underground, uber-DIY band that is destined to go far on hard work alone, think how far they'll go when people hear their music.