Bear vs. Shark

Item: Terrorhawk
Author: Peter Veness

Terrorhawk

(2005)

Reviewed by Peter Veness

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Label Equal Vision RecordsDecapolisJune 2005

emo indie rock post-hardcore

You could get into a mighty fine argument over Bear Vs Shark, what exactly are they? Punk, nup, hardcore, I doubt it, metal, ha - it's more like what happened to a bunch of indie rockers who just thought screaming was a good way of getting their point across, it's a good point to.

At the foundation of this Michigan five piece is a bubbling rhythm section led by bassist Derek Kiesgen. On 5, 6 kids he wanders methodically, rolling gently and then bucking a freshly found thought for something better. Kiesgen's playing epitomises the sound of his band, steadfastly refusing to sit still or settle for a comfortable, complacent noise.

They wander from the throaty post-hardcore of The Great Dinosaurs to the (I kid you not) jaunting soul ballad Baraga Embankment. Sure there's a bunch of guitars rolling over the top but it's soul. Bear Vs Shark haven't found what they're looking for but here's hoping they keep searching and recording the result, for it's bruising and frighteningly honest - two things missing from most everything called music today.

3/4