Superheavy posteverything locals Anatomy of Habit have seen some heavy hitters pass through their ranks over the past few years: ex-members include Plague Bringer guitarist Greg Ratajczak, Disappears and Electric Hawk drummer Noah Leger, and former Cheer-Accident bassist Dylan Posa. But on this fall’s Ciphers + Axioms,
their debut for Relapse Records, they prove that their current lineup
is their strongest and scariest yet. Menacing and morose Bloodyminded
vocalist Mark Solotroff continues to helm this devastating quintet, now
with bassist Kenny Rasmussen (No Funeral), guitarist Will Lindsay
(Indian, Wolves in the Throne Room), drummer John McEntire (Tortoise),
and scrap-metal percussionist Theo Katsaounis (Joan of Arc). The two
doomy, glacially paced tracks on Ciphers + Axioms grow across
their 20 minutes or so from creeping, deliberate, hushed tones and
calmly enunciated vocals into massive, explosive episodes—at the climax
of the A side, “Radiate and Recede,” the band lays into a bombastic,
sludgy freak-out while Solotroff plants himself firmly out front to let
loose a bloodcurdling scream. Nightmarish and powerful, Ciphers + Axioms will be hard for anyone to top in 2015. This is a release party. —Luca Cimarusti
Empty Bottle 1035 N. Western Ave. 773-276-3600 emptybottle.com
http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/anatomy-of-habit-the-paver-burned-or-buried/Event?oid=16192152