OXES

Hailing from Baltimore’s south side, the instrumental trio of guitarists Natalio Fowler and Marc Miller with drummer Chritopher Freeland seeks to establish a reputation that arrives ahead of them. Affiliated with the Baltimore Rowdy Collective, they deliberately obstruct the ordinary flow of daily routines. Their outlook manifests in fierce, constantly shifting math-rock instrumentals that frequently tip into metal theatrics. Titles such as “Horses are OK” poke fun at the solemn tone of the surrounding hardcore and nu-metal world. Live, the musicians perch on black boxes, maneuver wireless guitars, and challenge audiences while executing pieces that sound spontaneous yet follow precise arrangements. Their earliest release was a single for Reptilian, succeeded by a split CD with Chicago’s Big’N. Several tracks from that EP resurfaced on the self-titled 2000 album issued by Monitor Records, most prominently “And Giraffe, Natural Enimies,” which captures the group at its heaviest.