Engine Down

Formed in Harrisonburg, Virginia, in 1996 and have since relocated to Richmond, Virginia. This innovative quartet sprang out of such bands as Sleepytime Trio, The Weak Link Breaks, and Bughummer. The foursome have truly come a long way, displaying that they are not afraid to take their sound to new limits with interesting instrumentation (e.g., piano, cello, vibraphone) while at the same time maintaining a dynamic and intense energy. The intrigue of this band lies in the fact that their successive works always incorporate fresh, novel sounds Ò it's quite easy to trace their ascent to maturity from early works to their most recent full-length effort, Demure. The band has no qualms about pushing against and recklessly crossing the parameters of a monotonous post-rock tradition; they execute a musical excellence that will doubtlessly capture a wide swath of listeners for a long time to come. This energy has captivated an enthusiastic audience: the band has previously charted in CMJ's Top 20 for eight consecutive weeks. Engine Down have toured and played with such diverse artists as The Locust, Thursday, Cursvie, the Dismemberment Plan, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, and Fugazi and have no intention to stop. Over time, Engine Down's sound has matured into a force not content with the now tired boundaries of hardcore or "emo." Rather, Engine Down continue to hone their craft, surprising listeners with unexpected instruments and song structures.