Gnaw is a New York City
noise
Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference aris ...
band founded in 2006 by
Alan Dubin
Alan Dubin is an American vocalist/singer most widely known for his role in the now defunct doom metal band Khanate. He is noted for his tortured and distinctive vocal approach. Other bands he has been featured in include OLD and current band ...
(of
OLD,
Khanate), Carter Thornton (of Enos Slaughter and others), Jun Mizumachi (a former live member of
Ike Yard) and drummer Jamie Sykes (of
Burning Witch
Burning Witch was an American doom metal band from Seattle, Washington, active between 1995 and 1998. Aside from EPs and split releases, the band released a compilation album called '' Crippled Lucifer'', which had songs of their early EPs.
Hi ...
). Guitarist/sound designer Brian Beatrice and drummer Eric Neuser later joined the group. The current lineup consists of Dubin, Thornton, Brian Beatrice, Dana Schechter (Insect Ark,
Angels of Light
Angels of Light were an American folk band that was formed circa 1998 by singer-songwriter and musician Michael Gira after he disbanded Swans, the group he had founded in 1982. The band has marked a distinctly different style for Gira since he ...
,
Swans
Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form the tribe Cygnini. Someti ...
), Robin Fowler (Pants Exploder, Drownyard), and Adam Morosky (Time Ghost). Founding member Mizumachi, while no longer touring, is still a contributing member.
Style
In addition to the traditional 4 piece rock format and string and wind instruments, Gnaw utilizes synthesis modulation, found sound and manipulated recordings. In issue 302, ''
The Wire
''The Wire'' is an American crime drama television series created and primarily written by author and former police reporter David Simon. The series was broadcast by the cable network HBO in the United States. ''The Wire'' premiered on June 2 ...
'' magazine called Gnaw "a terrifying rock sextet whose blackened vision has enough dark energy to blot out the sun". The publication described Gnaw's debut album, ''This Face'', as "unsettling but vital listening".
History
Gnaw's debut album, ''This Face'', was name
number 17 of the year by ''
Rock-A-Rolla
''Rock-A-Rolla'' was a music magazine covering experimental, avant-garde, noise and metal artists pushing the boundaries of music. Launched in late 2005, it was published bi-monthly in the UK by V-Squared Publishing Limited and distributed worl ...
'' magazine and ''
Fact'' went on to post it as number 23 on its list of best "post-metal" albums ever made.
In 2013, Gnaw signed with
Seventh Rule Recordings who released their second album, ''Horrible Chamber'', on October 15. "Horrible Chamber" was reviewed positively by most publications including Pitchfork, Wire and Dusted, who said, "Gnaw’s combination of murderous riffs, sludgy bass, dark ambience and soulless electronica is mastered expertly on Horrible Chamber, resulting in a seven-song suite that pulls in all directions whilst staying wholly cohesive." WIRE said, "Horrible Chamber raises goosebumps, instils despair, and suggests fruitful future paths for metal in the process".
After Mizumachi's return to Japan in 2016, Dana Schechter of Insect Ark began performing live with the band and, after contributing to recordings, joined the band full time in January, 2017. The band's third album, Cutting Pieces, was released to wide acclaim on October 27, 2017.
With Schecter's increased commitment to Insect Ark and Swans, Morosky began filling in on live dates in September 2019 before joining as a full time contributing member. Gnaw's Rid the City EP is slated to be released in January 2020 on Sleeping Giant Glossolali and they are currently composing a full length follow up to Cutting Pieces. Initial tracks were recorded in July 2019 at Menegroth The Thousand Caves Recording Studios with
Colin Marston.
Members
*
Alan Dubin
Alan Dubin is an American vocalist/singer most widely known for his role in the now defunct doom metal band Khanate. He is noted for his tortured and distinctive vocal approach. Other bands he has been featured in include OLD and current band ...
(Vocals, Synthesizing, Processing)
* Brian Beatrice (Guitar, Bass, Studio Production, Manipulation and Processing)
* Carter Thornton (Guitar, Bass, Multi-Instrumentalist, Sound Recordings and Manipulation)
* Adam Morosky (Synthesis, Sound FX, Noise Contraptions)
* Jun Mizumachi (Synthesis, Recording and Studio Manipulation)
* Robin Fowler (Drums)
* Past members: Jamie Sykes (Drums), Eric Neuser (Drums),
Dana Schechter (Lap Steel)
Discography
* ''This Face'' (Conspiracy Records, 2009)
* ''Horrible Chamber'' (
Seventh Rule Recordings, 2013)
* ''Cutting Pieces'' (Translation Loss, 2017)
* ''Barking Orders'' (Sleeping Giant Glossolalia, 2020)
References
A review of Horrible Chamber Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
Gnaw's Discogs Page Discogs. Retrieved 2013-12-11.
The Wire Issue 358Seventh Rule RecordingsDusted In Exile , Horrible Chamber Review
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Noise musical groups
Musical groups from New York (state)