Tim Kinsella's voice is as unique and charismatic as ever, with a sound that is unmistakably his. Sonically, Make Believe do sound like an off-shoot of their relative Joan Of Arc, with the odd time signatures, discordant, off-kilter and often noodly discordant guitar melodies with heavy use of harmonics. The band consisted of vocalist Tim Kinsella (also involved in Cap'n Jazz, Owls, Friend/Enemy, and the main member of Joan of Arc), guitarist Sam Zurick (Cap'n Jazz, Ghosts And Vodka, Owls, Friend/Enemy), bassist Bobby Burg (Joan of Arc, Love Of Everything), and drummer/keyboardist Nate Kinsella (Joan Of Arc, American Football, Love Of Everything). They began as a touring version of Joan of Arc, as all members of Make Believe have at some point been involved in Joan of Arc. Make Believe were a four-piece math rock/indie band from Chicago, Illinois that were around from 2003 to 2008. From their hardcore/post-rock origins to their current (I guess you could call it 'post-metal') sound, this band has not missed a beat in developing new, creative ways to play amongst each other while producing anthems and epics for us to experience. The honest, brutal aggression, the catharsis, the technical capabilities, the chemistry of a band to meld a vast array of sounds into a singular, tight unit, Svalbard does it all and does it well. Now in hindsight the many years of recommendations for this band make sense, as they encompass all things I love about extreme music. From there I went back to their first few EP's, and while they are vastly different from where the band would end up, are still incredibly solid efforts with a sound that is absolutely up my alley. I actually started with When I Die, Will I Get Better? as I recall seeing a ton of praise for that record last year, and absolutely fell in love with it. That has most definitely changed recently, and it's been a disservice to myself that I did not listen to this band sooner, as they check all the boxes of what I'm looking for in a sound-bending hardcore/metal band. They are a name I've seen pop up for ages, and for no good reason always put off checking them out. Right from the get-go, I'll admit that I have slept on this band for far, far too long.

Svalbard are a four-piece post-hardcore/post-metal band from Bristol, England that began in 2011.

Rotten sound exit rar