Metz

Canadian noise punk trio METZ draws equally from the rugged rock elements of 1990s grunge and the more abrasive aspects of shoegaze's layered guitar textures, delivering tight, sharp melodies executed with split-second accuracy and powerful force. Their raw, combative approach appeared fully formed on the self-titled debut album from 2012, yet later releases such as Strange Peace in 2017 and Atlas Vending in 2020 showed the group sharpening its noisy interplay without sacrificing intensity. On 2024's Up on Gravity Hill the music grew more tuneful and dynamic than in prior efforts, even as the lyrical concerns and performance strength marked another characteristically uncompromising statement.

METZ originated in Ottawa, Ontario, during 2007 when guitarist/vocalist Alex Edkins and drummer Hayden Menzies—longtime friends sharing a taste for edgy, uncompromising sounds—began writing together. One year later the pair relocated to Toronto and completed the trio by adding bassist Chris Slorach. They honed a wiry, high-volume style reminiscent of the Jesus Lizard and released their debut single, "Soft Whiteout" b/w "Lump Sums," on the Toronto independent label We Are Busy Bodies in 2009. Following two additional singles and growing renown for their forceful live shows, METZ submitted a demo to Sub Pop Records, which offered the band a recording contract. Their initial Sub Pop release was a split single with Fresh Snow; METZ's contribution was a cover of Sparklehorse's "Pig." The self-titled 2012 debut album appeared in October of that year and received widespread critical acclaim, leading to headline tours worldwide as well as support slots with legendary punk acts such as Mission of Burma and Mudhoney.

METZ maintained a relatively low profile in the period before their second album, continuing to hold day jobs rather than tailoring material for broader appeal. The sophomore effort, simply titled II, arrived in May 2015 and was followed by extensive touring that included a performance at the Levitation Festival, formerly known as Austin Psych Fest. The album also placed the band on the Polaris Music Prize longlist. In 2016 they issued split singles with two formative influences: one with Mission of Burma and another with John Reis of Rocket from the Crypt, Drive Like Jehu, and Hot Snakes. METZ announced their third studio album in 2017; for Strange Peace they enlisted legendary engineer Steve Albini at his Electrical Audio studio in Chicago and recorded straight to tape. Preceded by the fierce lead single "Cellophane," Strange Peace reached stores in September 2017, after which the group embarked on an international concert tour.

In 2019 METZ gathered their increasingly scarce pre-Sub Pop recordings onto the anthology titled Automat. Working with producer Ben Greenberg of the Men and Uniform, the band tracked their next album at Machines with Magnets Studios in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Released in October 2020, Atlas Vending remained precise and uncompromising—a hard-hitting collection that sounded more melodic yet equally assaultive. The LP emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed touring; to promote it, METZ staged an audience-free concert at Toronto's Opera House that was livestreamed with assistance from video director Scott Cudmore. In August 2021 Sub Pop issued the performance as Live at the Opera House, available both as a digital download paired with the concert video and as an audio-only vinyl LP.

May 2022 saw the arrival of Weird Nightmare, Alex Edkins's solo project that permitted him to explore pop melodies while retaining the intensity of his guitar work. The more tuneful sensibility of Weird Nightmare shaped METZ's fifth studio album, Up on Gravity Hill, which presented a more dynamic and melodic sound even while several tracks retained the band's customary muscularity. Issued in April 2024, Up on Gravity Hill captured a band in transition; six months later, following international touring in support of the record, METZ announced via press release that they would enter "indefinite hiatus" after a November 2024 tour of Europe and the United Kingdom. Their statement expressed eagerness to "take time to focus on other endeavors and enjoy more time at home with our families."