WAKE

"I’ve listened to this CD over and over and love it. WAKE is a grindcore band from Calgary, Canada. They meld a modern grindcore sound with a good dose of hardcore. Their sound is big and chaotic. They remind me a lot of a less techie MISERY INDEX or a more grindcore MORSER. Easily one of my favorite releases of the year. (MH)" - Maximum R'N'R

On the front lawn of an unassuming house tucked behind the Humpty's on MacLeod Trail, two rabbits munch on grass underneath a drizzling, grey sky, seemingly oblivious that the basement behind them is a routine host to Calgary's most vile and virulent expression of musical hatred. For now, the house lays dormant, save for the inhabitants inside relaxing in the calm before the storm. Grindcore quintet, WAKE, are set to release their much anticipated debut full-length album, Leeches, hot on the heels of their acclaimed 7”, Surrounded By Human Filth.

Grindcore has a long history of sawtooth, industrial discordancy that relegates it to the fringes of even the extreme metal community. Smelting together elements of hardcore, crust and d-beat punk with the violent ferocity of death metal to create a titanic clash of disgusting noise - "it only makes sense played at maximum volume," WAKE guitarist Sergey laughs - the gnarled and unapologetic face of grindcore has become a swirling vortex for all the putrid ignorance in the world. Bands like Napalm Death created the annihilating template in the ’80s, while bands like Brutal Truth and WAKE carry the tattered, torn standard today.

“Playing fast, being loud, obnoxious,” smiles Sergey, with disarming calmness. “You don't have to look far to see examples of (hate).”

“All of humanity is a giant parasite leech,” adds guitarist Rob.

“All we do is consume and produce shit until we can't produce anymore and then we're going to have to turn on each other.”

Like post-apocalyptic survivors huddled in sparse pockets across a scorched and barren landscape, WAKE and other grindcore bands network with each other, building deep, underground communities of like-minded grinders to set up the scene, booking shows for each other, lending floors on which to sleep during tours and keeping the howling mask of grindcore alive. It is through these communities that WAKE have made a name for themselves, touring the U.S. twice in one year in support of their debut 7” despite not having any external support. Their tireless, insatiable appetite - as well as the constant display of vitriol as the world hurtles around them - motivates the quintet to keep recording and touring to the glee of fans across the continent.

Leeches expands on the winning formula they established with Surrounded By Human Filth, though with a more careful and considerate appeal. To round out the package, they tapped the legendary Scott Hull (of such grind bands as Pig Destroyer and Agoraphobic Nosebleed) to mix and master, a move that elevates the soundtrack of disgust to a veritable symphony of destruction.

“He's got a great ear, he knows grind, obviously,” enthuses Rob. “He's done so many grind bands. Sergey did a great job recording it down here (in the basement), so we had a good product to send to him to begin with. He took it and made it sound huge, mixed properly.”

“It sounds like a lot of grind records. That's what we wanted,” laughs Sergey. “He did add his grind shine to it.”

With a little luck, Leeches will cement WAKE as one of the foremost working metal bands in Canada today - certainly, they have already achieved that status at home. Their sights are set on the road again and the record has been picked up in Germany by 7 Degrees Records, setting the stage for a future European invasion. This slab of vinyl represents a step forward in their goal to “be paid to live in a van,” according to the man behind the kit, Tyler.

“Art and music … are one of the ways in which, to me, we're looking beyond being leeches,” muses bassist Jacob, to which Rob laughingly adds, “This is one of my only outlets to fucking grind.”

Outside, meanwhile, the two rabbits continue to feast on grass, oblivious to the contempt and dissonance around them. - Beatroute

Maybe due to the fact I am still recovering from yesterdays/todays come for one drink which miracoulesly elongates itself into over a dozen across 4 locations, but to me listening to Canada's ecletic grinders Wake first full length Leeches reeks of the nostalgic sweetness of Shakespearian awe.

Not in the sense that Leeches has become part of your educational curriculum and its greatness repeadetley forced upon you and thus you develop an ambition in preteen life to build a time machine in order to punch Shakespeare, but my feelings towards it align in an appreciative manner earned through its sense of passion, manifestations of greater darkness and elicit use of memorable and profound expression.

At its heart it is an exceptionally creative and stern use on a surreal death/grind/heavy hardcore hybrid formula whose materialisation consists of slithering melodic development streamed against the constant pulsing of eerie misanthropic brutality, with the odd splash of samples to give that stone wall collision of think long and hard factor made especially more useful given you will find your mind often getting lost in the vividness of it all.

As releases go, this is one heavily centred on the inspirational gliding of the guitar work that fashionably pins down an applause worthy sense of chanelling through the dark continuity, lassoing a common rythmic thread from across a vast array of styles, be it the gushing grind fury or to the tightening of the noose effect as things drudge themselves forward to the resonating sludge based frailty of mortality, proceeding to tame these radical and roaring play styles before branding their tightly weaved brutality & melody mesh with their own individual hot poker stamp of "Intellectual Property of Wake".

Even if the drums and vocals are not the bedrock of the release, their function is still integral to pulling off the complete Wake effect, which without fail is an intense attention demanding experience with significant merit and unique vibe factor that I can't really pin on any individual band other another, with possible exception of a slightly higher dominance of Gadget's exploration scifi groove tinting, but given the number of elements at play its still a tough call.

Stepping back the drums and vocals for the most part are stripped of rhythmic fanciness they serve to amplify the brutality factor, lungs going into a controlled state of overdrive of hardcore yelps whilst drums continually pound away in savage bursts with express intention of destroying the drum kit and on occasion taking a breather with a subtle step back and toning down aggression dominance to give a boost to enveloping tag team of vocal -string emotional counterweight. With the entirety of the release glossed over lavishly by Scott Hull's sound engineer tricks and wizardry, a fitting choice for the band given the melo-brutal immersion they have in play.

Engaging, creative and great audio quality, pretty much a no brainer this is exceptionally highly recommended, so high I can promise you already its gonna make my end of year list. - Grind to Death

The first time I listened to this album I was getting ready to take a nap, needless to say WAKE proved their name because as soon as the intro faded I woke right up.

To start I have to say I was quite surprised by the professional sound to this album, both quality and structure wise, everything on this album sounds clear and perfect. Another highlight I found in the structure is the length of the songs, instead of bombarding the audience with epic lengths of blasts WAKE blasts and rattles the listener with short tracks that leave the listener wanting more.

While listening to this album I had a feeling that I should lock my doors and lower the blinds because CSIS would be coming to grab my ass for observing the creation of an atomic bomb. Each song on this album just flat-out decimates the listener, and shakes them to their core. Leeches is a prime example that brutality without melody can still be insanely brutal!

One of the songs that kicked my ass the most on this album was ‘Aversion’. Perhaps it’s because the tiny touch of melody that comes in then gets crushed by the sonic onslaught of brutality. Whatever it is this track is a monster, and a hungry monster at that. It would be no surprise at all to see WAKE bring grindcore to the mainstream.

This album changed the way I looked at grindcore. In just under a half hour this album packs so much punch that there should be a warning on the cover. Filled with some crazy blasts and grooves this album is an album that any fan of metal should have - Noisography

It's fun watching young bands grow up. Case in point, last year Calgary's Wake were like little hyperactive grindcore puppies, all boundless energy, floppy ears and too large paws on surprise 2010 standout Surrounded by Human Filth. A year later on debut full length Leeches and suddenly the band has grown into those oversize paws. Now that nipping puppy has some bite in his jaws when he uses your fingers as a chew toy. And play more often than not means putting on a seminar in grindcore drumming.
There's nothing overtly flashing about the drumming, but it's just so pinpoint and tasteful, shoved to the forefront so that it shows off Wake's growing confidence as a band. The drummer beats the toms on "The Means to the End" like they owe him money. It's a pounding reminiscent of Napalm Death's "Dementia Access." The tight snare roll of "Recycle the Sickness" is a small touch, but snaps through at the perfect point.
Otherwise, Wake are back with the same brew of death metal, grindcore and power violence jumble, just with more room to sprawl over the course of 14 songs. Set off by pristine Scott Hull production, Leeches sounds superb without being sterile. Hull allows the band to simply play, letting raw energy carry the commotion. When he does step in, like shoving the uvula-shattering screams of "Cult of War" into the limelight, it's a subtle but potent touch.
Less obvious than the precision drumming, however, is just how mature Wake's songwriting has become. They showed off an impressive array of skills on Surrounded by Human Filth despite only having four five tracks at their disposal, and with Leeches they demonstrate they know how to play with texture and tempo across a full length, whether it's the sneaky melodies that seep into "Aversion," obligatory slow song "Leeches" or the way "Dive's" corkscrew riff slithers between hammer of Thor cymbal crashes. At nearly three minutes and poised at about Leeches' midpoint, "Dive" is an expertly placed breather that sets off Wake's more aggressive fare.
These grindcore puppies may be growing, but I hope nobody housebreaks them too soon. - Grind and Punishment

1. WAKE- Surrounded by Human Filth (Hearing Aids)
2. MARES OF THRACE – The Moulting (Arctodus)
3. BISON B.C. – Dark Ages (Metal Blade) - Hellbound

Based on the super HydraHead-y design of the sleeve and record, I was expecting something a lot different. Rather than being emo or hipster metal, the A-side is slightly tech-y grind with more than a hint of NASUM influence. The flip is much more in the TRAGEDY epi-crust vein, but with some melodic trem-picking parts and a rather cool melodic outro. I have to admit, I was judging this book by its cover and I was more than pleasantly surprised by this 7" - Maximum R'N'R

Distinguishing each extreme metal genre from the next is often an unnecessary struggle.

Calgary quintet Wake knows this. They’ve been labelled “a hardcore band, a grindcore band, a crust band” and more, but have yet to stick to any clearly defined genre parameters. Instead, they meld it all into ferocious bursts of blast, d-beat and punk beats; abruptly-changing melodious riffs; and roaring vocals fleshed out by bass. Thus far, the combination has worked advantageously: since their inception in November 2009, the act has already released the critically acclaimed Surrounded by Human Filth 7”, toured the west coast and reached number one on the metal charts at CJSW. And a hell of a lot more is coming.

“People were talking about how our 7” had a lot of different elements in it, which is funny to me because those songs were written very quickly, without any thinking about it,” said guitarist Sergey Jmourovski, formerly of Baikal and Snake Mountain, and owner of Hearing Aids Records. His “vanity label” has released all of his projects, including the 500 pressings of Human Filth, an album that has been hailed by Decibel Magazine as featuring “just enough setting misanthropy, impressive performances and creative songwriting to win over a mini-mass of people.”

Hardly worried about a sophomore slump, the five-piece - which is rounded out by guitarist Rob Strawberry (formerly of Mystical Unicorn and Zeitgeists), vocalist Shayne Baker (formerly of the Dead Will Rise and Collapsed Empire, currently of With Wings We Vanish), bassist Sean Farren (also of Mark of Cain and Gummers) and drummer Tyler Dergousoff (also of Mark of Cain and Gummers, formerly of Valour and Bitch Kryptonite) - is embarking on their second west coast tour, booking their first east coast tour, and have already written the majority of their upcoming full-length, Speciest.

“We are trying to go fast and keep with the original grind ideas but make it a little more noise infused, but still have some heavier groovy noise parts,” explains Strawberry, who also books the band’s shows and tours. He has been booking for upwards of 12 years. “Weird times, weird chords. Just grind, but a little more different that straightforward grind. Have melody in there.”

“The new album we’re actually working on the riffs and the song structure and trying to make each song have its own voice, if you will,” agrees Jmourovski. “Hopefully we will record it in February, and probably will do the drums in a proper studio... I’ll take care of the rest in my basement.”

In comparison to the monster-and-demon-themed 7”, Speciest will focus lyrically in the realism realm, mirroring Strawberry’s and Jmourovski’s serious approach to song writing.

“I’ve got (a track) on the obsession with safety and protection of children, and how we should let nature take its course,” explains Baker. “‘Rainbow Grinder’ is about labeling things as what they seem as opposed to what they really are… The newest one I wrote is about medication and how we need it for everything, and how did we survive without it before?’” He finishes, “It’s taking the easy way out.”

Obviously, Wake is busting their ass to get their music heard, an intense D.I.Y. approach that extends to distribution and record trading, spending time in their trusty shit box, making musical acquaintances nationwide and constant local performances. It’s all necessary to achieve their end goal, which is to be a constantly touring act who play nothing but “scandy, crusty, grindy awesomeness,” as described by newest member Farren. - Beatroute

Apart from Wake coming out of the city of Calgary I don't know anything about the band. The Canadian four-piece play an interesting blend of grindcore, punk and crust. The music is well put together and there are even hints of melody now and then. The song-writing is diverse and there's lots of fat riffs and catchy parts make things stay exciting. The band also understands how to mix the fast with the slow. The band doesn't overdo one or the other and I really like that a lot.

The vocals are the shouting type of grindcore vocal. It works just right and fits the music well. The production is crisp and meaty. And that of course only profits the music and helps display the strength of the songs. The five songs that Wake has written and recorded for this 7' promise well for what next to come. There's no doubt if the four-piece continues as on Surrounded by Human Filth they could easily end up being among the elite of the grindcore / crust scene. - Supreme Brutality

Careening down the highway while attempting to make a break for the Alberta border with police cars and a helicopter on your trail would be unnerv- ing for even the most hardened of criminals. For Calgary metal act Wake, it is just another hilarious tour story to reiterate while sitting in guitarist Sergey Jmourovski’s backyard and snacking on the apples tum- bling from the trees. Needless to say, the five-piece doesn’t take their “fifteen-minute fugitive” status seriously, thanks to lenient police officers who let them off after they begged “the poor musician case.”
“We are a grinding hardcore band,” said Jmourovski, who has also played in Calgary acts Baikal and Snake Mountain.
Obviously, as players of said genre, the band can call them- selves “poor musicians,” despite being remarkably busy in their short year together. Not only have they toured the United States, but have also self-released their Surrounded by Human Filth seven-inch. It reached No. 1 on the metal charts at CJSW and they are primed to embark on their second tour. They have also written eight songs for their upcoming full-length.
“Our songs are pretty diverse. Not technically, but our style,” said bassist Rob Strawberry, who played in Mystical Unicorn and Zeitgeists and has been booking his own shows for 12 years. “It’s hard to pigeonhole us, to say we are a grindcore band or a crust band.”
Indeed, Wake plays an amalgamation of several extreme genres, with tunes featuring the constant battering of snare and bass, surprisingly catchy guitar licks accentuated by tremolo picking and alternating screeching/howling vocals with remarkably beautiful lighter sections that contrast to the ut- ter grimness of the heavy. Wake is as nihilistic lyrically as they are instrumentally, and vocalist Shayne Baker — formerly of The Dead Will Rise and Collapsed Empire, and currently of With Wings We Vanish — describes his themes as centering on “hatred of mankind.”
“The stuff we’ve been writing, some is black metal influenced, some of it is noisy hard-core influenced,” explained Jmourovski of their new tunes, which will be featured on the upcoming album. With a working title of Speciest — which is a hatred of all humans because they are human — it is clear we can expect certain things from the album’s 13 potential tracks. However grim this all seems, the band isn’t totally serious. Bassist Sean Faren — also of Mark of Cain and Gummers — notes that in contrast to his bandmates who throw out catch phrases such as “kill everybody,” “be uber grim” and “get rich or die grinding,” he finds himself “super out of place.”
He isn’t entirely, though he is certainly the only member who spends the entirety of each per- formance with an endearing grin plastered across his face. Most of the responses Wake provides during the interview are provided with a laugh, and overall the band knows what they ultimately aim to achieve, sans bleakness: “Play super- fast music and have a good time.”
By way of a conclusion, drummer Tyler Dergousoff — also of Mark of Cain and Gummers, formerly of Valour and Bitch Kryptonite — said the band wants to “spend as much time in the van as possible.” - Reflector

"This record with handy download is grindy, crusty powerviolence with surprisingly sweet guitar licks, and even a detour or two into melody. These guys could actually be on their way to much bigger things, as there is just enough setting misanthropy, impressive performances and creative songwriting to win over a mini-mass of people. Plus, this lyric: “what a grotesque way of becoming fucked.” Jesus, guys.” - Decibel #71

The first side was three songs of face-ripping-off grind. Fast as fuck with vocals that go from shrieks that will strip paint from the walls to growls that will register on the Richter scale, followed by pounding blast beats. The other side is one epic track of all the crust that you need. It sort of reminds me of Catharsis. The lyrics are about cannibals and zombies; fun, gory stuff like that and then some about hating the daily grind. Intense record that definitely stands out from the grind/crust ghettos. –Craven - Razorcake

At Crustcake, we're not known to give space to just any band out there. In fact, we only cover bands we think make excellent music and for reviews, we only consider albums that are released on vinyl with stellar packaging. However, we do like to reward hardworking, independent bands who have the cojones to actually mail us their 7" or 12" releases. This is such a time. WAKE, consider us impressed by your balls.

Calgary's WAKE are a young band that is on the right track. Their 7" Surrounded By Human Filth (2010, Hearing Aids Records) is surprisingly good for being the band's first demo: it has strong songwriting, good riffs, powerful drumming and a balanced mix. The band's sound is a combination of non-spastic grindcore, straight-ahead crust and crushing death metal. It's reminiscent of Mammoth Grinder, but they do not sound at all like a knock off.

WAKE avoids the pitfall of monotony that many young bands do not by mixing things up. Beginning with a slow, clean-but-you-know-it's-gonna-get-dirty intro track, the songs transition from speedy death metal into crusty hardcore and end with an epic journey to sludge. The band kept my interest through their five-song demo, which is an accomplishment for such a young band. While I do think the intro track was unnecessary for such a short EP (all five songs clock in under 12 minutes all together), the only real criticism I have for the demo is it sounds like the band is just beginning -- which they are. WAKE are still a bit green. It'll take time before they're brown.

More often than not, demos come in the worst of packaging, if any at all. However, WAKE sent us a bi-fold record in sleeve that has pretty decent artwork. I like its simplicity and the lyric layout on the inside. Also, the one and two moths for sides A and B of the record is a nice touch.

WAKE is off to a strong start and have all the right ingredients to become a great band if they stick to it.
- Crustcake

Hearing Aids Canadian crushers Wake have staked out a comfortable niche in between Phobia and ASRA on five song EP Surrounded by Human Filth. Between the eerie spoken word-sampled, instrumental opener and the obligatory five minute slow motion kiss off, the band fillets grindcore with ragged edges of droning dirges. But when they do go for grind gold, Wake hit it and quit it with a fervid intensity. “Virulent” is an on-the-verge-of-intelligibility hardcore rager so vicious you can almost see the finger pointing through your headphones while Cavity would be more than happy to five finger the droning bridge of “Cannibal Design” as it winds its way up to a mid-BPM power drill drive. The best balance of the band’s alternating extremities would be the cymbal-clutching blaster “Defiler,” which shows off Wake’s aggression to scintillating perfection.
Grindcore, death metal and power violence get all gruff and growly in Wake’s hands. They keep things short and sharp and don’t wear out their welcome. Just a quality beating. - Grind and Punishment

Canadian crushers Wake got their Carl Sagan worship on with a nail studded grindcore bat on the Surrounded by Human Filth EP. Think of it as the musical equivalent of Nietzsche’s philosophizing with a hammer. Taking all the best, ugliest components from grindcore, death metal and power violence, Wake set their sonic phasers to stun (they could probably lecture on why phasers wouldn’t work according to phsyics). Not overstaying their welcome at a tidy 11 minutes, it’s the perfect grind amuse-bouche (to radically change metaphors) that leaves me craving a full course of their sonic smorgasbord. - Grind and Punishment