Brutus
Nest (Sargent House)
Reviewed by Michael Toland, Fri., Nov. 8, 2019
A mournful opening to "Fire," first cut on Brutus' second LP, might fool you into thinking it's faux-gothic emo, but then howling singer Stefanie Mannaerts' machine gun drumming kicks in, followed by guitarist Stijn Vanhoegaerden's reverb-flooded distortion washes and bassist Peter Mulders' aggressive thrum. Lifting both blast beats and thrash dynamics from metal, the Belgian indie rock trio galvanizes enough sheer fury to knock the needle off your turntable. If your heart isn't racing after Nest stops spinning, then it's stopped beating altogether. (Fri. 8, Empire Garage, 9pm)
