Lets say you took My Bloody Valentine, added a bit of Gish-era Smashing Pumpkin, sledgehammered it with Godflesh and then topped the remainder with a twist of Tangerine Dream, you would have New York’s Spotlights. However, the net result of all this crossbreeding is a new hybrid animal. Its own thing, a unique product that stands apart and pushes hard at genre boundaries.

Over the past five years Sannhet has built a well-deserved reputation for being one of the fiercest, most electrifying instrumental bands in New York. Their third full length album, ‘So Numb’, just released on Profound Lore Records, has immense energy and intensity, but is a bit of a departure in style from previous releases. Tim Porter caught up with Sannhet and asked them all about it.

The album should come with a warning label to anyone grieving or dealing with personal trauma. It may distract you, but your sorrow will only grow more acute. It’s the musical equivalent Shindler’s List.

Dan Friel is a pioneer of experimental punk music based on noisy electronics. Friel was a founding member of Parts & Labor, a seminal band in the New York indie scene until its dissolution in 2012. After three excellent solo releases, Dan decided to get back to guitar based music he couple play live with a backing band. Called Upper Wilds, the group will showcase a more traditional punk sensibility and vocals. They will release their first album, Guitar Module 2017, on September 22 on via Thrill Jockey Records.

At the end of the day, ‘So Numb’ is one of the more impressive post-rock / post-metal albums released to date and certainly the most complex and refined work Sannhet has produced. That’s saying a lot, given how high the band has set the bar with their previous releases.

The music at times becomes apocalyptic and solemn, foraying well into metal level heaviness and drive. Other moments feel quite lighthearted, almost like things are ok and the world isn’t going to shit, after all. All of this is glued together by tight arrangements, impressive attention to detail, and excellent melodies.

Tim Porter caught up with HarborLights, a post-rock band from Massachusetts, to talk about the band’s background and influences.

Somewhere between noise and extreme metal lives Japan’s Endon. Tim Porter managed to catch up with Taichi Nagura, lead singer of the band, and get his take on our many questions about the band.

Tim Porter caught up with Josh Graham, former member of Red Sparowes and Neurosis, and chatted about his new IIVII album, ‘Invasion’, ambient music, and his recent work with Soundgarden and Chris Cornell.

As much as they are a suitcase of insanity, Through The Mirror is surprisingly likeable and kind of fun.

The album is a haunting soundscape, layered with a science-fiction edge and incredible attention to detail.

The overall effort is more streamlined and consistent, fully of wonderfully elegant soundscapes and poignant rhythmic intricacy. It’s his best work since ‘In Decay’.

Tim Porter caught up with JR from Wrekmesiter Harmonies before a show in Toronto where they talked about how he came his musical style, his collaborations and his new album in progress.

This is solid technical post-rock, chock full of big highs, heavy lows, massive texture, and surprisingly tender meditative moments that pull at the heart strings like big-eyed immigrant children.

While the style is firmly rooted in doom and sludge metal, the band does a great job of incorporating a cinematic sensibility and experiments liberally with samples and creepy soundscapes that gives the album a rich complexity and makes it feel almost like a documentary horror.

Astronoid plays black metal themed blast beats married to vocals that almost gush positivity came at a time when a bit of optimistic vibe was exactly what a lot of people needed. Tim Porter caught up with the band to find out more.

The full album experience is a bit like being tied up, blindfolded and hearing the breathy whispers of your dominant in your ear.

Relentless in pace, Germanic in precision, and drenched in so much gore and destruction that your mom and her priest will have an immediate erection hearing it.

Tim Porter had a chance to speak with Thom Wasluck before a show at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn NY. It was one of the first shows of a tour to support his most recent album, ‘Below the House’, which was released in early March.

Yardsss is definitely on to something here with the mixes of styles, of synthetic and organic, old and new, and I suspect we’ll see more from the band over time.

Terraformer is a three-piece post-metal band from Belgium that makes punishingly heavy instrumental music. The band just released their third album Mineral on Dunk! records. If you like bands like Pelican, Year of No Light, or ISIS, you should give Terraformer a listen. I was able to catch up with the band by email and ask them a few questions.