Like a bear after a long hibernation, Planes Mistaken for Stars roars to life on Prey, the Denver quartet’s first LP in a decade. Blending punk, metal, and art rock, dynamic metallic shifts support swathes of elevated feedback as hardcore drum explosions lay foundations for Gared O’Donnell’s hoarse croon. The action flick rage of “‘Til It Clicks” contrasts the garage-rock clangor of “She Who Steps” and atmospheric dream wave of “Alabaster Cello.” The flying fists of “Riot Season” spit out the genre mash-ups lean and mean. Leavening distorted crunch with anthemic melody and obscuring emo heartbeats with waves of noise, PMFS bangs its head while gazing shoe-ward. (Fri., 3:55pm, the Keep stage)

***.5

This article appears in November 4 • 2016.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US

Michael Toland started writing about music in 1988 on the Gulf Coast, moved to Austin in early 1991, and has inflicted bylines upon the corporeal and digital pages of Pop Culture Press, The Big Takeover, Blurt, Amplifier, Austin.citysearch, the Austin American Statesman, Goldmine, Sleazegrinder, Rock & Roll Globe, High Bias, FHT Music Notes, and, since 2011, The Austin Chronicle.