Hopefully the band will forgive me for thinking of Death Wish era Charles Bronson when I first saw this land in the inbox. And now it’ll forever be that in my mind and there’s no changing it. Anyway, noise rock can be as varied of a genre as most in metal except for that whole blackened tag (holy jesus) but regardless of a band’s approach the one thing all noise rock must be, at the least, is abrasive. Kalamazoo, Michigan noise mongers Bronson Arm are definitely that but so much more than just that on their debut full length Bronson Arm.

Among other things Kalamazoo, Michigan is known for Checkered Cabs, Bell’s Brewery, and being the birthplace of Gibson Guitars. That last one may or may not have helped the city to also be known for being the home of God Bullies, an excellent AmRep era noise rock band, and of course our subjects Bronson Arm. Who knows their collective guitars of choice and it may just be one hell of a coincidence but why not make the connection…guitars are part of the reason we’re even discussing music in the first place, let alone metal or noise. As far as taxi cabs and breweries, I’m assuming they played a part as well but you know what they say about assuming.

Immediately noticeable on opener “Pleasure Brea” is the duo’s grasp of noise rock as a whole. It is indeed loud and abrasive, a little scuzzy, and a bit repetitive in spots to drive the point home. However, that ends up being a small part of what unfolds the deeper the dive goes. Blake Bickel commands the guitar with earworm melodies and a hefty low end rumble while drummer Garrett Yates puts on a master class in how to keep a rhythm going while at the same time making hay of the skins flayed across said drums. On top of all this, the song is just damn catchy as all get out. Yates continues his deadly impact on “Hard Pass” and the duo lock into a dirty groove that would make any noise rock fan grin from ear to ear. “Conscious Confuser” showcases the band’s ability to fill wide open spaces when Bickel meanders in and out of the groove with 90s Grungesque attention grabbers but the groove here is the real treat. Punk guitar collides with a slowed down cadence and massive feedback which is nothing short of glorious.

The choice to use a baritone guitar was a good one as it offers a well rounded warmth to the duo’s overall sound (yes I am currently listening on some really good headphones). But, don’t get that confused with lacking aggressive punch as “Drain The Coffers” is there to curb stomp any sleepers back into reality. “One With The Floor” steps outside the box with a slow and dreadful build to a rather ominous payoff and as it turns out this is exactly what the band was shooting for: “When I started writing this song I kept on envisioning fog rolling over a dark wooded hill. I wanted to create a sound… a song that evoked a sense of sheer terror and impending doom that slowly crept in and consumed you. I wanted to create a feeling of, oh, fuck. that thing. That thing I dread is starting again. Here it comes.” says Bickel of the track and I have to agree wholeheartedly. Later “Rabbit Starvation” rocks like an amalgamation of Big Black and 90s alt rock which in written form doesn’t look appealing but shut the front door it’s delicious then “The Devil You Know” hits all the genre’s trademarks: noisy as hell, abrasive as sandpaper, as aggressive as the Charles Bronson beatdowns throughout the Death Wish series, and playfully improvisational.

Bronson Arm’s self titled debut is a treasure trove of all things noise and all things adventurous within that noise as well as being a killer way to kick off my 2024 in music. Honestly, I revisited this thing many times in search of something I didn’t like or that just didn’t sit well but have thus far been unsuccessful. I love this record and at times just cannot believe the calamitous noise this band, as a duo, makes or how damn catchy they’ve made it. Be sure to give it a shot and be sure to play it loud.

— Josh

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Bronson Arm will be available January 12 on Learning Curve Records. For more information on Bronson Arm, visit their Facebook page.