Review Text
Still / Form is a 3 piece band that emerged in the midst of the stagnation of 2020, as people shuttered themselves in and thought of ways to pass the time. Guitarist/vocalist Robert Comitz's previous band, Marriage + Cancer, had recently dissolved and he was thinking of what was to come next. After trading out some gear, messing around with new sounds and tones, and coming across bassist Kirk Evans (Dark Numbers) and drummer Ryan Losli (Almost Is Nothing/Ireshrine), Still / Form took shape. They spent the better part of a year crafting songs in Comitz's recording studio, which made it easy to demo material as it came together. As they got the songs to where they wanted them to be, Still/Form recorded an album's worth of material. By the summer of 2021, they came out of their recording cave and played their first show. Things started moving along quickly after that as the record went through several mixes, eventually being put into the capable hands of Scott Evans (Kowloon Walled City) to work his magic on it. The result is, "From the Rot Is a Gift." Retaining some of the disturbing and jarring guitar work reminiscent of Marriage + Cancer, but with a much more sludgy heft, Still / Form plods and trudges through a gauntlet of experimental sounds, driving bass, and sharp attack. Comitz' raspy vocals provide an unsettling disposition against the music that can't simply be categorized as 'metal', or 'noise rock', but certainly can be filed into much broader and less definable terms, such as 'weird' and 'heavy'. Hex Records will be releasing Still / Form's debut full length, and in the meantime the band will be out and about playing more shows. "From the Rot Is a Gift" comes on special clear yellow with black streaks vinyl that will not only appeal to ears but eyes as well.
