The Schisms

The world outlier in this bunch comes via Gothic glam-rock trio the Schisms, whose self-titled debut EP journeys between the theatrical ("Meridian Motel") and treacherous ("Hound From Hell"). In actuality, the five tracks play out more like the soundtrack to a B-grade Halloween camper flick ("You Want Me"), one made creepier by a set of strange subtleties throughout, like that whistling accompaniment on "Zombie Bride." - Chase Hoffberger - The Austin Chronicle

The Schisms, comprised of Carson Barker on vocals/guitar/synths, The Miss Genocide on bass, and Mike Minarcek on drums and backing vocals. They describe their self-titled EP The Schisms as "five songs about dead people or sex." Sold!

This trio from Austin, Texas, plays a head banging, longhair approved blend of punk and vaudeville rock. Barker is an excellent choice as vocalist, very bitter sounding but also very tough and dangerous, like he's ready to pop off at any moment. He sounds as threatening as he does celebratory on "You Want Me." He gives the lamb-blood seal of approval on his band's more bizarre topics, such as undead matrimony and weird-ass hotels.

Genocide and Minarcek keep things fresh with a sassy but savage rhythm section; Genocide's bass lines hover over the music like a sinister moth, thick but soft at the same time. Minarcek's drumming is a massive draw for this album, very simple patterns that make great use of repetition and variation. On every track his percussion is the most dangerous element. Granted, Barker's guitar-playing can seemingly cross over into any genre, but it’s the music’s most elaborate element rather than dangerous.

The Schisms approach music from several well-trod paths, and then expand on them. The head swirling shoe gaze that comes in at the end of "Meridian Motel" is a welcome treat, as is the rag-timey whistling chorus on "Zombie Bride." "You Want Me" channels some gnarly early 90s metal toward the end with its driving elephantine licks and stormy drumming while Barker moans in the background. The closer "World Falls Down" seems like it's going to be a stark contrast to the other songs, what with its meditative opening, but then the band explodes into "Rock and Roll High School" fervor, as Barker proclaims his love in his now-trademark sexy, theatrical voice over surf-like guitar chords.

Loving dead things never sounded so enthralling! - No More Division

Rather than your typical rock & roll blasphemy for shock’s sake, theirs is a doctrine against the oldest strategy of human control: convincing a populous they’re fundamentally different from one another.

Guitarist/vocalist Carson Barker calls the song “a response to the heightened global frustration of the powers-that-be dividing the populace by race, gender, gender identification, sexuality, economic status, religion, and spirituality.”

“Labeling a like-minded group enables government entities to quarantine and control that community by imposing unethical regulations, and essentially devaluing that group’s right to free will and pursuit of happiness,” he continues. “‘Bibles and Torahs’ is about burning down the walls that divide us as individuals, and embracing our differences as one living community on Earth.”

This high-energy live session was captured at Houston’s Black Beard Studios while the Schisms – consisting of Barker, bassist Holly Jee (aka Miss Genocide), and drummer Gregg Irick – were on tour this fall. The track appears on the Schisms’ forthcoming debut, Black Sand Moon, currently being tracked by Stuart Sikes, the producer who picked up an engineering Grammy for Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose and, since relocating to Austin, has been at the helm of Black Joe Lewis’ Electric Slave and Riverboat Gamblers’ The Wolf You Feed. Black Sand Moon lands in early 2017.

Catch the Schisms on Wednesday when they join City Life and Motörhead-approved Grecian rockers Barb Wire Dolls at Sidewinder. - Kevin Curtin

When the lyrics of an album open up with “Burn your Bibles and Torahs” you know shit’s probably about to get a little dark. And with the Austin-based gypsy punk band The Schisms, the vibe of their new album Moon isn’t so much dark like macabre, more mischievous and spooky and … a little sexy.

Vibes the group are able to articulate across nine tracks of rock ‘n’ roll that teeter across a spectrum of genres include straight-forward-bluesy American rock in the vein of Queens of the Stone Age and Misfits-inspired horror-punk and rockabilly. The record is pretty awesome and you can guarantee they’ll be playing a few of the new tracks at The Mix this Saturday. - San Antonio Current

Moon, the debut album from the Schisms, is out now, and we suggest watching their new video for “No One Has To Know,” which MAGNET is happily premiering today. The animated clip follows a couple as they drive around the desert, making several detours. Says frontman Carson Barker of Moon, “I set some rules for myself when I was writing these songs; no songs about zombies, no distorted guitars and no screaming. I definitely wanted to do more dance-oriented stuff but make sure people know we’re still a rock band … With these new songs, we’re drawing on elements people might not associate as belonging together to make something new and really dynamic.” Check out the video premiere of “No One Has To Know” below. - Magnet Magazine