Category:
Metal

Try if you like:
Daughters, Kayo Dot, Pelican, Pig Destroyer

Tusk is a band that is hard to categorize. Sure, they are metal but what kind of metal do you call this? Made up of Trevor de Brauw, Laurent Schroeder-Lebuc, Larry Herweg (all from Pelican), and Evan Patterson (Young Widows), and Toby Driver (Kayo Dot) you know you are in for some magic. I wouldn't exactly say that they sound LIKE Pelican, even though they share 3 of the same members. Tusk is a hell of a lot messier than Pelican and The Resisting Dreamer proves that in 4 songs.

You can't get a more apt title than "Cold Twisted Aisle". It's dark, it's angry, and it gets a little unruly at times. "Life's Denial" is the shortest track at 5:58 but it's definitely epic. You feel like you've been on a huge journey after listening to this one. Then comes the magnum opus: "The Lewdness and Frenzy of Surrender" clocking in at 16:13. It's a massive song and worthy of every second. This beast is probably the closest in style to Pelican with it's hypnotic instrumental style.

There are some death metal elements on Resisting Dreamer but not enough to warrant a death metal classification. Some grindcore exists here as well but not enough to declare Tusk a grindcore band. There are some similarities to Pelican and Isis but Tusk is different enough to be categorized on their own.

The Resisting Dreamer is one of this year's surprises. Not having heard of Tusk before I had no expectations and this heavy little four song album made my day.