Ride The Fader

Working from the basic foundation they established on Gone Glimmering, Chavez spins off into new territories on their second album, Ride the Fader. Equal parts post-hardcore punk and prog-metal, Chavez's music is intellectual guitar rock -- riffs are fractured and self-consciously asymmetrical, winding in on themselves and then turning inside out. What prevents Ride the Fader from becoming a tedious, pompous exercise in experimental rock is visceral directness, combined with detail. Chavez is a powerful, muscular band, capable of giving their densely packed songs a startling immediacy. - All Music Guide