I was late to the charms of 1800 and Froze to Death. The New York band has had a long history, but ever since their 2024 comeback single, I've been keeping track of them. They've got a new record out now, called Earthquake Lights, and it's a beast.
Pummeling riffs and churning rhythms anchor the best numbers here like "Outside the Museum", even as "Comet Flasher" indicates a more nimble trajectory through the post-punk form. The heavy "Into the Totality" may recall acts as disparate as Kyuss and The Jesus Lizard for a listener, but the big hooks of the tune are distinctive enough to keep this in its own lane. "Second Empires" has a whiff of "Symptom of the Universe" in the chords, and it's probably pretty safe to say that some of these dudes own a few Ozzy-era Sabbath records.
The musicians in 1800 and Froze to Death make loud, powerful music, but the cuts here have nuance nevertheless. If you grew up on stuff like Killdozer, Das Damen, early Soundgarden, or Tad, you'll find something here that rocks your world. Kudos to these fellas for making something clearly in debt to past legends seem very fresh and exciting again. Dig it!
Earthquake Lights by 1800 and Froze to Death is out now. Details via Bandcamp.
[Photo: Alison Kepic]