“Sure, like most other bands, it’s probably safe to assume that KEN MODE don’t wander around hammering into submission anyone who crosses their path, but given the musical savagery at work on ‘Entrench’ (especially given the sheer rage and disgust that come through on ‘Your Heartwarming Story Makes Me Sick’), it’s easy to dive into the fantasy that if these guys are in your neighborhood, you might be better off seeking safety in numbers,” [dived into presumed fantasy Gregory Heaney, AllMusic, who proclaimed the Canadian trio winners of “the arms race when it comes to intensity” – read the rest of his review here]
Canadian noise artists', KEN MODE, fifth album or “massive punch in your face”, ‘Entrenched’, was released on March 15th, 2013 (March 19th, 2013 in North America), through Season Of Mist. The album was recorded at Private Ear Studios in Winnipeg, Canada with Matt Bayles who mixed the album as well, and mastered by Ed Brooks at RFI Mastering in Seattle, Washington. The sculpture presented on its cover, photographed by Ryan Klatt, was created by Lil Duncan (Ben Bonner). The album should be sought out (available as a digipak CD and as a double LP) here (Season Of Mist e-shop) immediately, if still alive after listening to ‘Entrench’ described by Emperor Rhombus, MetalSucks, as
“the garbage and wreckage left behind after the metal party let out, a field of bent steel, burnt-out cards, severed limbs, and beer cans cradling mouthfuls of backwash,”
KEN MODE, (an acronym for “Kill Everyone Now”, based on a quote by Henry Rollins), was formed in 1999 in Winnipeg, Canada by brothers guitarist and vocalist Jesse Matthewson and drummer Shane Matthewson, and bassist Darryl Laxdal. After recording several demos between 1999 to 2003, KEN MODE put forth their debut full-length, ‘Mongrel’, in 2003 through Escape Artist Records:
In 2004, Laxdal left the band but returned a year later in order to finish the band's sophomore album, 2006's ‘Reprisal’. Following the release, Laxdal departed and was replaced first with Drew Johnston and later on with Jahmeel Russell with whom KEN MODE recorded their third album, 2008's ‘Mennonite’, issued through Jesse Matthewson's own label Arctodus Records:
Profound Lore Records issued the band's fourth longplayer in 2011, featuring yet another new bassist Chad Tremblay. The ‘Venerable’, produced by Kurt Ballou, was highly recommended to those “who miss the floor-punching, bulging-throat-veins style of angular yet stompy post-hardcore that was everywhere between 1998 and 2003” by Phil Freeman, AllMusic:
“Their songs have a deep, rumbling bass sound, the guitars are jagged, combining hardcore-ish riffing with dissonant screeches and bursts of noise; the drumming is tribal and punk at once; and the vocals are a hoarse, panicky bark reminiscent of CONVERGE's Jake Bannon and several hundred other short-haired, tattooed dudes in arty post-hardcore bands. But while they may not be doing anything particularly original, and may indeed serve older listeners as a nostalgic reminder of the days when bands like BOTCH and COALESCE bestrode the earth, they are very good at what they do, and manage to put a fresh spin on a fairly minimalist (and therefore, one might incorrectly assume, inherently limited) style,” [he wrote – more here:]
KEN MODE features: Jesse Matthewson - vocals, guitar, bass and piano, Shane Matthewson – percussion and Andrew LaCour – bass and vocals
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