Get better earplugs for Isis and Jesu. - Oh My Rockness

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Get better earplugs for Isis and Jesu.

April 4, 2007
Isis and Jesu together? Oh man, now would be a good time to upgrade to those professional musician-style earplugs I've been meaning to get. It's time for my ears to say, "foam no more!" If I'm not properly protected on this night, then this rock is going to hurt me.

L.A.'s (by way of Boston) Isis have been rocking the epic "doom metal" for the better part of a decade. Think Mogwai meets Tool meets Neurosis meets Jesu meets Pelican (who are on Hydra Head Records, which is owned by Isis' Aaron Turner). Isis somehow manage to make experimental post-sludge-drone-core sound pretty.

But don't get Isis confused with somebody instantly accessible like Explosions in the Sky. You've got to work to love this band's screaming experimental sounds. This is a band you have to settle into, so put it on when you plan on being around for awhile and soak in their thunderous, and sometimes uncomfortable, anthems of distortion. And let me tell you this, these guys are INSANE live. Your head won't forget it.

England's Justin K. Broadrick is the main visionary behind the dark drone-experimental psych-ROCK band Jesu. He also used to be the Godflesh guy (1990-2003), a pioneering industrial band that paved the way for better known acts like Ministry and Nine Inch Nails. His new band, Jesu, is a thunderous trio that perfectly executes dynamics in song. Their sound is an epic, layered journey through steady sonic build-ups that often leads to an explosion of distorted noise.

Speaking of noise and speaking of Hydra Head Records (Pelican), Aaron Turner sure was right to sign these guys, as they fit perfectly with his label's sound. And Jesu definitely delivered the goods with the release of their self-titled full-length in 2005. It was on many critics "Best Of" lists and their follow-up EP in 2006 was even stronger. There's something both scary and sweet about the atmospheres these guys create. One thing is for sure, this rocks hard. Here we go.

Isis and Jesu play The Henry Fonda Theater on Sunday, April 8th.

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