{"title":"METZ","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"metz_atlas-vending","title":"Atlas Vending","description":"\u003cp\u003eMETZ's latest full-length album (Oct. 2020)!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e“Change is inevitable if you’re lucky,” says guitarist\/vocalist Alex Edkins while talking about Atlas Vending, the fourth full-length album by Toronto’s \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/artists\/metz\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/a\u003e. “Our goal is to remain in flux, to grow in a natural and gradual way. We’ve always been wary to not overthink or intellectualize the music we love but also not satisfied until we’ve accomplished something that pushes us forward.” The music made by Edkins and his compatriots Hayden Menzies (drums) and Chris Slorach (bass) has always been a little difficult to pin down. Their earliest recordings contained nods to the teeming energy of early ‘90s DIY hardcore, the aggravated angularities of This Heat, and the noisy riffing of AmRep’s quintessential guitar manglers, but there was never a moment where METZ sounded like they were paying tribute to the heroes of their youth. If anything, the sonic trajectory of their albums captured the journey of a band shedding influences and digging deeper into their fundamental core—steady propulsive drums, chest-thumping bass lines, bloody-fingered guitar riffs, the howling angst of our fading innocence. With Atlas Vending, METZ not only continues to push their music into new territories of dynamics, crooked melodies, and sweat-drenched rhythms, they explore the theme of growing up and maturing within a format typically suspended in youth.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCovering seemingly disparate themes such as paternity, crushing social anxiety, addiction, isolation, media-induced paranoia, and the restless urge to leave everything behind, each of Atlas Vending’s ten songs offer a snapshot of today's modern condition and together form a musical and narrative whole. Album opener “Pulse” is a completely unnerving exercise in reductionist tension, with verses providing little more than a lone discordant chord, a hammering kick drum, and the occasional punctuation of a diving bass note. From there METZ launches into “Blind Youth Industrial Park,” an absolute scorcher of paranoid dissonance and malicious force centered on a chromatic descending riff and a merciless four-to-the-floor drum battery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe album hits its stride with “No Ceiling”—a minute-and-a-half rager that comes about as close to containing a pop hook as anything METZ has ever written. Though it’s still saturated with in-the-red distortion, this truncated anthem about discovering love and purpose provides the rare counterpoint to the band’s grievous compositions. But there’s no yielding to complacency on Atlas Vending, and the mercurial nature of love and romance is expertly captured in the alternately brutal verses and beguiling choruses of “Hail Taxi.” If METZ’s current mission is to mirror the inevitable struggles of adulthood, they’ve successfully managed to tap into the conflicted relationship between rebellion and revelry with the song’s tactics of offsetting their signature bombast with anthemic melodic resolutions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe song sequencing follows a cradle-to-grave trajectory, spanning from primitive origins through increasingly nuanced and turbulent peaks and valleys all the way to the climactic closer, “A Boat to Drown In.” The lyrics speak to this arc as well, with the songs addressing life’s struggles all the way through to death, as Edkins snarls “crashed through the pearly gates and opened up my eyes, I can see it now” before the band launches into the album’s cascading outro. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile past METZ albums thrived on an abrasive relentlessness, the trio embarked on Atlas Vending with the goal to make a more patient and honest record—something that invited repeated listens rather than a few exhilarating bludgeonings. It’s as if the band realized they were in it for the long haul, and their music could serve as a constant as they navigated life’s trials and tribulations. The result is a record that sounds massive, articulate, and earnest. Bolstered by the co-production of Ben Greenberg (Uniform) and the engineering and mixing skills of Seth Manchester (Daughters, Lingua Ignota, The Body) at Machines with Magnets in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, METZ deliver the most dynamic, dimensional, and compelling work of their career. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"Loser (color) LP","offer_id":40768852623535,"sku":"713400","price":18.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":40768852656303,"sku":"713401","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":40768852689071,"sku":"713402","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":40768852721839,"sku":"713404","price":7.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-atlasvending-cover-3750.jpg?v=1633414599"},{"product_id":"metz_metz","title":"METZ","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eMETZ\u003c\/em\u003e is available on LP, CD and a new cassette variant, with clear shell and black liner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCanada’s \u003cspan class=\"caps\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/span\u003e are a return to everything that’s good about loud, ecstatic live music; a frantic nod to Nation of Ulysses, Shellac, The Pixies, The Jesus Lizard, and Public Image Ltd. at their most vicious, while carving out some heavy new business. \u003ccite\u003e\u003cspan class=\"caps\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eMETZ\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/cite\u003e, the band’s self-titled and formidable debut full-length was produced by the band and recorded by Graham Walsh (Holy Fuck) and Alexandre Bonenfant. Both live and here on this record, \u003cspan class=\"caps\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/span\u003e articulate with deafening clarity what we’ve known for some time: The world of good music needs a new power trio, and this is it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe LP will come with a digital download code.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":40768909901999,"sku":"710151","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"CD","offer_id":40768909934767,"sku":"710152","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":40768909967535,"sku":"710154","price":7.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/12158_4d8bd0f5-7b9a-4cfb-89b8-03d9211877a3.jpg?v=1665603992"},{"product_id":"metz_eraser-pure-auto","title":"Eraser \/ Pure Auto","description":"\u003cp\u003eFollowing two acclaimed albums on Sub Pop (2012’s \u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/metz\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e and 2015’s \u003ci\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/ii\"\u003eII\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e) and an incredible amount of touring, this Three One G single is the band’s first recording for the esteemed CA-based label, and their first new material since the release of II. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe “Eraser” \/ “Pure Auto” single will be pressed on \u003cstrike\u003egreen colored vinyl (limited to 1,000 copies!)\u003c\/strike\u003e, (1st pressing on green vinyl is SOLD OUT; a 2nd pressing on WHITE VINYL is now available for all orders placed after 3pm PST, 12\/10\/15) and is now available through the Three One G and Sub Pop Mega Mart (while supplies last). The single will also be available digitally right here in the Mega Mart, iTunes, and Amazon.   \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth “Eraser” and “Pure Auto” were produced by METZ, recorded by Graham Walsh at Union Sound Company, and mastered by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.  For more details on METZ’s “Eraser” \/ “Pure Auto” single, please visit \u003ca title=\"Link: http:\/\/kingsroadmerch.com\/three-one-g\/view\/?id=8394\u0026amp;cid=1324\" href=\"http:\/\/kingsroadmerch.com\/three-one-g\/view\/?id=8394\u0026amp;cid=1324\"\u003eThree One G\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"7 inch","offer_id":40768929562799,"sku":"41015997","price":5.75,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-eraser-cover-1500x1500.jpg?v=1633415739"},{"product_id":"metz_strange-peace","title":"Strange Peace","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*Loser edition LP is sold out. Black vinyl now shipping.\u003c\/b\u003e (10:56 am, 9\/25\/17)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSince releasing their \u003ca title=\"Link: http:\/\/https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/metz\" href=\"http:\/\/https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/metz\"\u003eself-titled debut\u003c\/a\u003e record in 2012, which The New Yorker called, “One of the year’s best albums...a punishing, noisy, exhilarating thing,” the Toronto-based 3-piece \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.subpop.com\/artists\/metz\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/a\u003e have garnered international acclaim as one of the most electrifying and forceful live acts, touring widely and extensively, playing hundreds of shows each year around the world.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, Alex Edkins (guitar, vocals), along with Hayden Menzies (drums), and Chris Slorach (bass) are set to unleash their highly-anticipated third full-length album,\u003ci\u003e Strange Peace\u003c\/i\u003e, an emphatic but artful hammer swing to the status quo.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"The best punk isn't an assault as much as it's a challenge — to what's normal, to what's comfortable, or simply to what's expected. Teetering on the edge of perpetual implosion,” NPR wrote in their glowing review of METZ’s 2015 second album, \u003ca title=\"Link: https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/ii\" href=\"https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/releases\/metz\/ii\"\u003e\u003ci\u003eII\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eStrange Peace\u003c\/i\u003e was recorded in Chicago, live off the floor to tape with Steve Albini. The result is a distinct artistic maturation into new and alarming territory, frantically pushing past where the band has gone before, while capturing the notorious intensity of their live show. The trio continued to assemble the album (including home recordings, additional instrumentation) in their hometown, adding the finishing touches with longtime collaborator, engineer and mixer, Graham Walsh.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eStrange Peace\u003c\/i\u003e isn’t merely a collection of eleven uninhibited and urgent songs. It’s also a kind of sonic venting, a truculent social commentary that bludgeons and provokes, excites and unsettles. With all the pleasurable tension and anxiety of a fever dream, \u003ci\u003eStrange Peace\u003c\/i\u003e is equal parts- challenging and accessible. It is this implausible balancing act, moving from one end of the musical spectrum to the other, that only a band of METZ’s power and capacity can maintain: discordant and melodic, powerful and controlled, meticulous and instinctive, subtle and complex, precise and reckless, wholehearted and merciless, brutal and optimistic, terrifying and fun.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Their whiplash of distortion is made with precision, a contained chaos. But you would never talk about them like that. Because METZ are not something you study or analyze,” wrote Liisa Ladouceur in Exclaim! “They are something you feel: a transfer of energy, pure and simple.” In other words: to feel something, fiercely and intensely, but together, not alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":40768947421359,"sku":"711991","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":40768947454127,"sku":"711992","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":40768947486895,"sku":"711994","price":7.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-strangepeace-3000.jpg?v=1633415939"},{"product_id":"metz_ii","title":"II","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eII \u003c\/i\u003eis the 2nd full-length from METZ.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTo begin: \u003cbr\u003e“I look at it like this,” METZ frontman Alex Edkins says. “You start a band, just as something to do, because music’s what makes you tick, the thing you dream about and think about and that’s it. You never think that you’ll be able to do it all the time. But then, for some inexplicable reason, people actually listen and latch on and the band begins to take on new meaning. All of a sudden there are expectations and pressure, real or imagined, to change who you are. It was important to us, when making this record, not to give in to that pressure.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat happens when a seemingly irresistible force meets an immovable object is a serviceable metaphor for the music METZ creates, both live and on record. Now behold II, the concussive new full-length from what is arguably North America’s finest touring rock band. Written and recorded in 2014, after two years of constant touring behind their rightly adored self-titled debut, II is METZ at their most true to form—as pure an expression of what they do as can currently be committed to tape. The guitars are titanic, the drums ill-tempered, the vocals chilling, and the volume worrisome. Though they incorporated new instruments, (baritone guitar, tape loops, piano, synth, found sounds) and stretched out the arrangements, they still managed to “stay true to what made us tick in the first place: that immediacy,\" Edkins calls it. \"If it punches you in the gut.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAnd does it ever. From the exhilarating grind of “Spit You Out” to the blunt-force thrills of “Landfill,” herein reside 10 songs as uncompromising in their ferocity and abrasiveness as any collection this record label has had the pleasure of releasing to date. To accomplish such a sound, the band forced itself to stay home and write for the better part of six months. Tracking was done in three different studios, in Toronto and elsewhere in Ontario, including the same barn where much of METZ had been painstakingly assembled. While said predecessor was often “clean and clinical,” II is what Edkins describes as a “much heavier, darker, and sloppier” affair, with many of its roughest edges and ugliest tones kept intact. Its lyrical matter, Edkins notes, stems from a year of loss and doubt, of contemplating our relationships with death and the planet. “I consider myself a pretty massive pessimist, but a pessimist who knows how lucky he is,” he says. “A lot of things in everyday life drive me crazy: how we relate to each other; how politics, media, technology, money and medication influence our lives. This band, in a lot of ways, is an outlet.”  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhat we’re left with is the sound of an already monstrous band improving in both subtle and terrifying ways.“We take our noise and our feedback very seriously,” Edkins says. “The more we do this, the more we realize there’s no such thing as right or wrong in music. It comes down to feel. And if it feels good, it works. This time we sorta said, 'This is who we are. We are not going to clean up our sound, we are not going to hire a big producer, we are not going to try to write a radio song. We are going to be honest and leave the warts for all to see. We are really happy with how it turned out.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs are we.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"LP","offer_id":40768952172719,"sku":"711201","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":40768952238255,"sku":"711202","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":40768952336559,"sku":"711204","price":7.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-ii-900-300dpi.jpg?v=1633415987"},{"product_id":"metz_acid","title":"Acid","description":"\u003cp\u003eMETZ have once again formed a noisy symbiosis with Three One G, releasing their second 7” with the label. Written and recorded during the 2017 \u003ci\u003eStrange Peace\u003c\/i\u003e sessions with Steve Albini, these two beloved offerings, initially left on the cutting room floor, were revisited, reworked, and ultimately reinvigorated during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic. With \"Acid\" and \"Slow Decay\" the Canadian trio continue to break new ground while honing their ever-evolving nuanced approach to pummeling rhythms and off kilter melodies. Of track \"Acid,\" the band describes it as “a song about having a fresh perspective, a newly widened outlook on the world and one's life. Being shaken awake from a malaise and realizing there is no time for petty bullshit. Love what you love, love who you love! Embrace it and don't wait.” Indeed, a fresh perspective and a sense of urgency is something METZ always manages to offer. This 7\" is now being physically released for the first time via Three One G, limited to 1,000 copies, with one side of the vinyl being specially printed by The Black Moon Design, and featuring cover art by Jonathan Bauerle. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"7 inch","offer_id":40768973963439,"sku":"41015977","price":10.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-acid-cover-2400.jpg?v=1633416364"},{"product_id":"metz_automat","title":"Automat","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\"\u003eBlack vinyl LP with bonus 7\"!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E51\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E52\"\u003eMETZ, our own widely-adored and delightfully noisy 3-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E53\"\u003epiece punk band from Toronto (ON, CANADA)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E54\"\u003e, have been laying waste to stages around the globe for over 10 years. During that tumultuous chunk of time METZ, comprised of Alex Edkins, Hayden Menzies, and Chris Slorach, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E56\"\u003ehave\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E58\"\u003e cemented their reputation as one of the planet's most exhilarating live acts and trusted providers of bombastic outsider rock.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E60\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E61\"\u003eAlong the way, they’ve earned\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E62\"\u003e enthusiastic support from \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E63\"\u003eThe New Yorker\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E64\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E65\"\u003eMojo\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E66\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E67\"\u003eNPR\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E68\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E69\"\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E70\"\u003e, KEXP, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E71\"\u003eThe Guardian, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E72\"\u003ePitchfork\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E73\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E75\"\u003eStereogum\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E77\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E78\"\u003eNME\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E79\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E80\"\u003eThe\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E81\"\u003e AV Club\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E82\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E83\"\u003eQ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E84\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E85\"\u003eUncut\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E86\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E87\"\u003eExclaim\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E88\"\u003e,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E89\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E90\"\u003eDIY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E91\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E92\"\u003eand\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E93\"\u003e a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E94\"\u003e whole\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E97\"\u003e bunch of\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E98\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E100\"\u003eothers\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E101\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E102\"\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E105\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E106\"\u003eReferring to the trio's tireless tour regime and unquenchable thirst to bring their music to the people, John \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E107\"\u003eReis (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/megamart.subpop.com\/artists\/hot_snakes\"\u003eHot Snakes\u003c\/a\u003e, RFTC, Drive \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E109\"\u003eLike\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E111\"\u003e Jehu) once said, “your ambition is really unflattering, chill out.” They did not listen. Instead, their love of the road and passion to create uncompromising and challenging music remains unwavering and has only grown over time.  \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E113\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E114\"\u003eTheir recorded output to date, a cornucopia of pop-inflected noise punk and damaged fuzz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E115\"\u003e anthems, includes 3 critically-\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E116\"\u003eacclaimed LPs with Sub Pop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E117\"\u003e,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E118\"\u003e a\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E119\"\u003es well as a plethora of limited-edition releases, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E120\"\u003ecollaborations, covers, and rarities. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E122\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E124\"\u003eWhich brings us to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E125\"\u003eAutomat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E126\"\u003e…\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E128\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E131\"\u003eAutomat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E132\"\u003e is a collection of METZ non-album singles, B-sides, and rarities dating back to 2009, available on LP for the first time, and including the band's long out-of-print early (pre-Sub Pop) recordings. And \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E133\"\u003eAutomat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"qowt-font1-Calibri\" id=\"E134\"\u003e is a chronological trip through the lesser known material of METZ. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E136\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E137\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E138\"\u003eIncluded here are the band’s first three 7” singles, recorded 2009-2010 and originally released by We Are Busy Bodies Records; a demo version of “Wet Blanket,” the explosive single from 2012’s \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E139\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E140\"\u003e; two tracks from the limited-edition bonus single that accompanied preorders of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E141\"\u003eMETZ\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E142\"\u003e; “Can’t Understand,” originally released in 2013 by [adult swim]; and both tracks from the band’s 2015 single on Three One G.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E145\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E146\"\u003eConsumers of the vinyl format of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E147\"\u003eAutomat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E148\"\u003e will be rewarded with a bonus single that includes three additional tracks:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E149\"\u003e a cover of Sparklehorse’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E150\"\u003e “Pig,” from a very limited 2012 Record Store Day split single originally released by Toronto’s Sonic Boom record shop; “I’m a Bug,” a cover of The Urinals’ art-punk classic, originally released on YouTube (not an actual record label) in 2014; and METZ’s previously unreleased rendition of Gary \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E152\"\u003eNuman’s\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E154\"\u003e “M.E.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E157\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E158\"\u003eAll tracks on \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E159\"\u003eAutomat\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E160\"\u003e have been lovingly remastered for maximum \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E162\"\u003esoundiness\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E164\"\u003e by Matthew Barnhart at Chicago Mastering Service.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E166\"\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E167\"\u003eMETZ \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E169\"\u003eare\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E171\"\u003e currently hard at work on their 4\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E172\"\u003eth\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan id=\"E173\"\u003e full-length LP which will be released on Sub Pop when we are all damn good and ready.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp id=\"E174\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"Loser (color) LP","offer_id":40768991887535,"sku":"712900","price":21.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"LP","offer_id":40768991920303,"sku":"712901","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":40768991953071,"sku":"712902","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Cassette","offer_id":40768991985839,"sku":"712904","price":7.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/products\/metz-automat-3000_593fe2c6-0ac2-4523-9bcc-9d79d65d9e9a.jpg?v=1633416606"},{"product_id":"metz_up-on-gravity-hill","title":"Up On Gravity Hill","description":"\u003cp\u003eWith time, we come to understand the way the joy of connection is mirrored by the void of loss, how the constancy of love is matched only by the impermanence of life, the simple idea that we could not create light if we did not risk the dark—we’d never need to.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSo it is with METZ, a band once known for blowing out eardrums with songs of joyous rage who have, over their past few records, begun exploring ways to turn abrasiveness into atmospherics, the evolution of their sound not only a reflection of the maturing of the band themselves but also of a changed world that demands nuance and compassion to comprehend and to survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt was a journey already underway on 2020’s Atlas Vending, but one that reaches new heights on Up On Gravity Hill, where the Canadian trio creates a kaleidoscopic sonic world as tender as it is dark, aided once again by engineer Seth Manchester (Mdou Moctar, Lingua Ignota, Battles, The Body). Deep, detailed, and unyieldingly personal, it is not only METZ’s most powerful record to date but also their most beautiful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStill three punks from Ontario at heart, guitarist and vocalist Alex Edkins, drummer Hayden Menzies, and bassist Chris Slorach waste no time as opener “No Reservation\/Love Comes Crashing” sweeps in like a wave, sonically and thematically setting the scene for the record to come. A dynamic song about feeling suspended in stasis, layers of dissonance melt into a restlessly heady outro marked by escalating crescendos of shimmering noise that reach for the stars—and is that a violin quivering brightly beneath those elegant swells of guitar, those charging drum fills, those intricate bass lines? It is indeed, courtesy of composer Owen Pallett; his presence an immediate indicator that METZ are thinking more cinematically than ever before.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe change is partially inspired by Edkins’ work as a scorer for film and television and his pop-leaning solo project, Weird Nightmare, where, he says, he learned to write more intuitively, letting his emotions lead the way. “The lyrical content is more heart-on-sleeve than I've ever allowed myself to do,” he says. “I tried to be direct with my words, this record felt like a big step.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut make no mistake: Up On Gravity Hill is a total band effort, the work of three musicians who have been playing together for over a decade, with all the trust that entails. “We’re at the point now where we feel really strong as a band and as musicians, and there is no second guessing our collective instincts. Allowing ourselves to branch out and work with other musicians has been a blessing and also continues to remind us that what we have, our musical bond, is very rare and really special.” says Edkins. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor those who believe in the power of the rock band to exemplify the highest resonance of human connection, there is much on Up On Gravity Hill to lift the spirit, a puzzle worth repeated listening to unlock or just to get lost in again and again. Rather than the music being flattened into a single plane, the band explores “the space above the cymbals,” resulting in some of the most spacious, sympathetic, and accessible songs—could we call them pop?—of their career. If this seems contradictory, well, METZ has always been something of a contradiction. “We’ve never been heavy enough for metal or hardcore purists, but we're way too heavy for indie rock. We just don't have a lane—and that's okay. We exist outside the lines of delineation. I think this record is even more like that,” says Edkins.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLyrically, Up On Gravity Hill pulls no punches: this is a record about death the way all art is ultimately about death, yet it crackles with life and intensity. “Entwined” is a charging throwback to the cerebral Dischord punk bands the trio grew up loving; the snarling “99” takes on the nonstop onslaught of advertising that marks our modern lives; “We are all just a dream,” sings Edkins on “Superior Mirage,” Menzies’ charged drumming and flickering hi-hats a contrast to the song’s ghostly themes of impermanence. The record peaks on the gorgeous closer “Light Your Way Home,” which features vocal contributions from Amber Webber of Black Mountain. Here, Edkins confronts the choices that keep him from the people he loves, their absence only emphasizing how much they matter. “If only I could see what isn’t shown\/ I’d clear a path for you,” he sings, a deeply emotional confession for a band that has found a new way to bend the raw power of rock music to its most delicate, intricate ends. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"METZ","offers":[{"title":"Loser (color) LP","offer_id":43208370323631,"sku":"715600","price":16.1,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"CD","offer_id":43208370356399,"sku":"715602","price":9.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0492\/1527\/5174\/files\/Metz_UpOnGravityHill_MockUp_LP_US_2000x1417._1_copy.png?v=1711947463"}],"url":"https:\/\/direct.subpop.com\/collections\/metz.oembed","provider":"Sub Pop Direct","version":"1.0","type":"link"}