Short Reviews [The Fierce & The Dead - 2015 - "Magnet"]

The UK foursome THE FIERCE & THE DEAD was the accidental result of solo artist Matt Stevens recording material for one of his solo albums, a process that instead led to the formation of a band that has more or less taken over his life as a creative artist, to the point of his solo career now being on hiatus. The EP "Magnet" came in 2015, as a stopover between the 2013 album "Spooky Action" and a forthcoming album presumably still in creation. On four tracks plus two early studio versions of material released earlier we're showcased how the band seamlessly wanders back and forth between odd but gentle King Crimsonian escapades, powerful and aggressive post-punk oriented cuts, compositions where drones, loops and effects are used to good effect to craft unusual soundscapes, and all the other odd bits and pieces that makes The Fierce & The Dead such a beloved band among everyone from math rock and post rock crowds to die-hard progressive rock fans. A charming, solid and quirky production from Matt Stevens and his men, and an EP that merits a check by those who favor the quirkier side of rock music of the kind that travels back and forth over the borders of the progressive rock universe, on average having at least a whole foot inside of it.