Preview
NEURAXIS
Thursday, March 25
The Machine
It's a long way to the top, and few know this better than Montreal-based metal band Neuraxis. Diligently plugging their way to the top of the skull heap after a decade of toil, they have managed to play every venue that Quebec has to offer.
Having recently signed to Galy Records, Neuraxis has set their sights beyond their provincial confines and plan to expand their exploits into the rest of Canada and the world.
According to guitarist Rob Milley, a good label is hard to find, especially, when you're a little different than the rest. "We don't set out to fit an image," says Milley. "Only our lead singer has long hair – and he's losing it. I'm the only one with long hair."
Flowing tresses aside, Neuraxis is known for possessing a refined musical repertoire that spans the multiplicities of the heavy metal genre.
"In the early-'90s our sound didn't tend to catch on with fans that were into the typical Cannibal Corpse stuff. We had melodic parts, and thrashy parts – it threw people off," says Milley. "Today, we are still very open to other styles of metal. I like melodic Swedish metal a lot, our other guitarist is into punk, our drummer is into jazz and prog rock, our singer is into the old stuff – Testament, Megadeath, Sacrifice. We like to be brutal yet melodic at the same time."
Milley joined forces with the band shortly after the completion of their 1997 debut Imagery, now re-released in combination with their 2001 album A Passage Into Forlorn. Blending their molten death-grind dissonance with melodic prog rock interjections, Neuraxis delivers a maelstrom of frenetic energy as deafening as it is invigorating. Fans who have been lucky enough to see them live are floored by the band's consistent power and versatility. Not only do they lay down the heavy licks, but they actually look like they're enjoying themselves. Milley looks forward to heading west and, as he retraces Neuraxis's rise to power, it’s clear that the group’s ultimate reward is found in performing for a truly appreciative audience.
"There's a lot going on with the metal scene in Montreal, a lot of great bands: Cryptopsy, Kataklysm, Gorguts, and many others that have yet to gain exposure. Every time we play a local show there's a good couple hundred people who come out – sometimes thousands," he says. In fact, he says, all of Quebec has a thriving metal scene and when they travel North their all-ages shows attract huge crowds – generating lucrative merch sales. "I prefer playing all-ages gigs," says Milley. "(The audience) don't just stand around, they actually get into it."
Filling the world with irony and ire over the course of a 10-year career, Neuraxis has accumulated a devoted following and garnered high praise from music critics. Their evolving lineup of players has only served to propel the band beyond their previously established limits, as they continue to crush all genre and language barriers in their path. Though all the band members speak and sing in English, the lyrics are translated from the French
"This has generated some interesting feedback on our website. People can visit the French or English version, and we get many e-mails requesting explanations of our translated lyrics. I guess, in the past, that the language barrier in music was more relevant, people are much more open now. And it's about time." |
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