Unsigned Act Of The Week 03.01.14: KURBd

Andover lads, KURBd, ooze originality, vigorous energy and a raw, stripped back sound that has me hankering for the charmingly dingy, smoke-filled music venues of my youth. Their three-track EP, ‘The Cause… The Defect’, was recorded for just £180 and is therefore a little rough around the edges; however, this only adds to the band’s appeal as their ‘substance over image’ mentality shines through, and one can focus on the sheer passion and dedicated musicality of each track. Whilst the EP’s opener, ‘Beware The Silence’, evokes memories of the Grunge scene with its thrashing guitars and impassioned vocals, ‘Wreck’ is a gentler offering, sprinkled with delicate melodies and effective harmonies whilst maintaining a dark, vehement aura. My personal highlight, ‘Kerosene’. epitomises the band’s fervent, unpolished sound with its nu metal-esque thrashing guitars, hints of late ‘90s punk rock and that characteristic unrelenting energy and incessant, pulsating beat.

Whilst ‘The Cause… The Defect’ leaves you feeling somewhat nostaglic, KURBd’s sound manages to uphold their own unique take on their influences that results in an appealingly fresh, rejuvenated sound that is definitely worth a listen for those young or old, or – infact – anyone in between.

‘The Cause… The Defect’ is available now on the band’s Soundcloud. And watch this space for information regarding the band’s upcoming live dates – sounds like they put on a stomping show!

Mari Lane

Mari Lane

Editor, London. Likes: Kathleen Hanna, 6Music, live music in the sunshine. Dislikes: Sexism, pineapples, the misuse of apostrophes.