Wednesday, March 14   11:00 p.m.
Red 7 Patio   (611 E 7th St)

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  At All Cost - Death To Distraction
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The members of AT ALL COST are true mavericks. Forget about boundaries because they don’t exist for these musicians. The Austin, TX quintet harmoniously mixes dance music and heavy metal into a combustible concoction. On their Combat Records debut "It’s Time To Decide," the results remain divine, daring, and deadly. Prepare to enter a musical realm where guitar solos slice through a danceable din, while catchy keyboards blanket pummeling rhythms. Hypnotic electronics add an entrancing aura around the music’s brutal center. Vocalist Andrew Collins assumes various identities, seamlessly shifting from a robotic persona, to a catchy crooner, to a hardcore prophet. The band even incorporates violins and classical guitars into impressive instrumental passages. Riffs crash and burn, then morph into a funky twang, while soothing melodies control the flow of energy. The combination emerges infectious and vicious as songs like “Death to Distraction” and “Polish the Nightmare” strike and soar. These individuals openly welcome metal, electronica, and hardcore, while turning each respective genre upside down.

Working with producer Rory Phillips (The Rise) encouraged the band to break barriers and cultivate a sound all their own. Andrew provides a perfect insight into the record. “I look at our music as a roller coaster of emotions and sounds. In a ten second span, you can hear the heaviest stuff that you’ve ever heard. Then a complete transition occurs and all of a sudden, really soothing vocals create a dreamlike state.” The album closer “What Is Left to Inspire?” masterfully switches from edgy to ethereal never losing its epic feel. About the dynamics, Andrew exclaims, “This album is only the first stepping stone and a basis to expand from.” Andrew and Co. have laid the foundation for a movement of innovation within heavy music and they show no signs of stopping.

Most importantly, they can reproduce this distinct sound live. They’ve already proven themselves alongside hardcore heavyweights like Norma Jean and Darkest Hour. Every element, from the scorching synth to the fiery fretwork, comes alive onstage. The music leaves crowds with a crucial decision to evolve or not. Trey Ramirez (Guitar) evinces the band’s ideology best. “We’re not catering to a specific genre, but we’re trying to get kids to decide. You need to make a choice for yourself about what you’re into, what your beliefs are, and what you stand for as a human being. That’s the message of the band. As fans of music, we want to hear something different. If another band is not going to do it, we’re going to do it ourselves.” Combining a heightened aesthetic, a hunger to be on the road, poignant and philosophical lyrics, and an undeniable groove, At All Cost have crafted the framework for a revolution.

Ultimately, these diligent young men have recognized heavy music’s sense of trepidation towards evolution. Rather than stagnate, they plan on further pushing the envelope. Andrew reveals, “I want to open up metal to where experimentation is acceptable. We care about how far we can push ourselves as artists and the music.” Now is the time for At All Cost. When they hit your town, be ready for a metamorphosis of metal.
– Rick Florino