Biography
Taking their moniker from a line in Henry Rollins' memoir Get in the Van, the Winnipeg, Manitoba noise-rock outfit KEN mode—short for "Kill Everyone Now"—earned Juno Awards for their bruising hybrid of styles. Brothers Jesse Matthewson on guitar and vocals and Shane Matthewson on drums have anchored the group since its inception, drawing early inspiration from Swans' industrial and noise textures alongside Converge's hardcore intensity. The band gained prominence within post-hardcore circles during the 2010s through the well-received Venerable (2011) and Entrench (2013), later extending their abrasive approach across the stark, unyielding NULL (2022) and VOID (2023).
Jesse and Shane Matthewson launched the project in 1999 alongside longtime associate Darryl Laxdal on bass, circulating several demos before issuing their debut full-length in 2003. That record and its follow-ups built upon the raw metallic aggression associated with AmRep acts such as the Jesus Lizard and Unsane, amplifying the ferocity while preserving a comparable sense of tension. Escape Artist handled both the 2003 debut Mongrel and the 2006 sophomore release Reprisal, while the third album, Mennonite, appeared independently in 2008.
Profound Lore entered the picture two years afterward, issuing the fourth album Venerable, which secured KEN mode the inaugural Juno Award in the heavy-metal category. Season of Mist then put out the Polaris Music Prize-nominated Entrench in 2013, the Steve Albini-engineered Success in 2015, and Loved in 2018, the last produced by Andrew Schneider of Unsane and Daughters. Frequent collaborator Kathryn Kerr joined on saxophone and synth for the 2022 Artoffact release NULL, an unflinching exploration of widespread psychological strain over the preceding years. VOID followed in 2023 as a spiritual counterpart, shifting emphasis from rage toward melancholy while retaining the ensemble's characteristic force.
Jesse and Shane Matthewson launched the project in 1999 alongside longtime associate Darryl Laxdal on bass, circulating several demos before issuing their debut full-length in 2003. That record and its follow-ups built upon the raw metallic aggression associated with AmRep acts such as the Jesus Lizard and Unsane, amplifying the ferocity while preserving a comparable sense of tension. Escape Artist handled both the 2003 debut Mongrel and the 2006 sophomore release Reprisal, while the third album, Mennonite, appeared independently in 2008.
Profound Lore entered the picture two years afterward, issuing the fourth album Venerable, which secured KEN mode the inaugural Juno Award in the heavy-metal category. Season of Mist then put out the Polaris Music Prize-nominated Entrench in 2013, the Steve Albini-engineered Success in 2015, and Loved in 2018, the last produced by Andrew Schneider of Unsane and Daughters. Frequent collaborator Kathryn Kerr joined on saxophone and synth for the 2022 Artoffact release NULL, an unflinching exploration of widespread psychological strain over the preceding years. VOID followed in 2023 as a spiritual counterpart, shifting emphasis from rage toward melancholy while retaining the ensemble's characteristic force.
Albums
Singles
