Not quite, but that’s the first thought that popped into my head when the MetalSucks reader known simply as “J” sent us a link to the San Diego-based Chon. While Chon might not have the style, grace or charisma of the aforementioned Twan, they’ve got all sorts of wicked chops that fans of more technically-minded metal should love.*

Chon play semi-frenetic, jazz-tinged instru-metal not unlike that of Lye by Mistake, an insanely talented band whose debut album Fea Jur is worthy of far more praise than it’s gotten. Their sense of melody is more akin to that of Scale the Summit, yet another under-appreciated instru-metal band that released an album in 2009 (Vince’s year-end list, WHAT?), and there’s nary a trace of Sumeriancore/djent in the mix. It’s a fine combo, and it’s a unique sound.

Check out Chon. Twan won’t come over and hunt you down in a fit of jealousy.

-VN

*Trapped in the Closet is a modern masterpiece. I’m not joking or being ironic. It’s really an amazing piece of work. Don’t front.

St. Louis jazzy prog-metallers Lye By Mistake, who we reported last week signed with Guy Kozowyk’s Black Market Activities label, have a new song called “Invincible Badass” streaming on Lambgoat. Says Lambgoat, “If you’re a rational human being with good taste in music, you’ll like it,” and we concur. Better news yet, the song comes from their sophomore effort (and first on BMA) Fea Jur, due October 13th. This record is going to impress a lot of people, my friends.

While we’re on the topic of Black Market Activties, experimental metallers Tony Danza Tap Dance Extravaganza will be working on recording their new album Danza III: The Series Of Unfortunate Events this November, and in the meantime have posted a new track called “Yippiekayay Motherfucker” on their MySpace page. It’s heavy as fuck, it’s grindy, it’s tech-y, it’s brutal. I’ve never been much into this band before, but the track’s got me excited for their new record.

-VN

Between the Buried and Me bassist Dan Briggs name-dropped St. Louis, MO experimental metal band Lye by Mistake in one of the first interviews I ever did for this site, back in August of 2007. I asked him what he’d been listening to lately, and he answered thusly:

My buddies from St. Louis, Lye By Mistake. I’ve just been listening to them so much lately. I can’t get enough of them. They’re honestly out of control. They’re, I guess, you know, I hate to… they kind of have the Dillinger really intense, syncopated patterns and they’re really kind of jarring, the most musical fusion crazy stuff. It’s this balance of absolute insanity and really awesome, awesome brutality. They’re one of the newer bands that I’m really stoked on, who hopefully we’ll get something goin’ for them.

Over two years later, it appears that Briggs has been able to “get something goin’ for them” indeed; the band has just signed a deal with Red Chord vocalist Guy Kozowyk’s Black Market Activities label, an imprint of Metal Blade Records.

Click to read more…