Lower Forty-Eight — Apertures CD

Band: Lower Forty-Eight
Title: Apertures
Label: Monotremes Records
Format: Full-Length Album, CD, Jewel Case
Release Date: 2005
Country: San Francisco, USA
Genre / Style: Post-Hardcore, Math Rock, Noise Rock
Streaming Link: Bandcamp

* Price excludes postage and handling fee.

Remarks:
Comes with 6-panel fold-out lyric insert.

Formed in 2000 in San Francisco by Phil Becker (drums) and Andrew Lund (vocals, guitar) with intention of pushing music in new directions. Ian Swanke joined on bass shortly thereafter, and the EP “Gentle Tyranny” was released. Local shows continued into 2002, and “Halfback” was recorded with Myles Boisen in Oakland, CA. Ian left the group to pursue a collegiate degree in music, and Grady Mutzel joined on bass in 2003. “Skin Failure” (2004) was the first of two releases on Monotreme Records. A tour of the UK and Europe followed in Sept 2004. In May 2005, the band recorded “Apertures” with Justin Weis at Trakworx, San Francisco, with a final tour of the UK and Holland in April 2006.

Lower Forty-Eight's Apertures, released in 2006 via Monotreme Records, is a compelling exploration of post-hardcore and math rock, marked by intricate rhythms and intense energy. 

Critics have noted the band's ability to blend aggression with complexity. Ox Fanzine praised the album's dynamic and forceful Noisecore elements, highlighting its groove and complex rhythms that evoke the spirit of bands like WÜRM and Saccharine Trust. The review commended the band's mathematical precision in generating pressure without sounding sterile, drawing comparisons to Voivod and Fugazi.

Drowned in Sound described Apertures as an impressive and intelligent record that avoids becoming overly complex. The review noted that while the album burns slower than its predecessor, Skin Failure, it offers a gradual reveal that rewards attentive listening. The band's accomplished performances ensure the album doesn't come across as a second-rate imitation, suggesting that with further exploration, Lower Forty-Eight could carve out a unique space within the post-hardcore genre.