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STERLING
With a warning on the disc advising of potential damage to certain audio systems (headphone use not advisable), the self-titled second release from Chicago avant-rock quartet Sterling lets loose a hybrid of compositions that could be the bastard child of jazz, classical and metal, conceived during a Dario Argento flick.
Driven by syncopated, jazzy drumming that gets heavy-handed when called for, weaving, distorted bass and twin guitars that have that fat hollow-body tone, the disc's eight untitled, angular compositions evoke a soundtrack sensibility for something somber left to the imagination. The liberal use of tastefully played piano, at times drawing from the lower register, adds that extra dimension that not only enhances the building tension, but also heightens the anxiety that goes along with it. Although some of the tracks can be lengthy, the interesting and explorative compositions move seamlessly throughout sections with at times a pregnant pause which gives way for an explosive return to the earlier motif that kicked the whole thing off (insert pronged rawk hand sign here). The rough moments of overdrive occurring in the production department characterize the aforementioned warning, while at the same time becoming an almost integral part of the existing track. If the band's hometown is said to be the birthplace of post-rock, Sterling have taken their imaginative musical vision into an area of post-mortem rock. Beware. 
