Trench

Updating the hardcore and nu-metal aesthetic from the turn of the millennium, Canadian outfit Trench merges pummeling guitars, abrasive electronics, guttural vocals, and rapid drum patterns into an intense yet unrelenting sound that defines key recordings such as their first full-length Condition (2017), the EP Encased in Chrome (2022), and the collaboration-filled Between Inverted Worlds (2024).

Originating in Calgary, Alberta, the band was started by vocalist Jay Breen alongside drummer Tommy Chan and bassist Tony Chan. Following the 2016 independent release Shut Eye, which included guitarist Bryce Jassmann, they brought in Cole Young to handle lead guitar duties along with sporadic sampling and programming. The resulting quintet issued the EPs Condition (2017) and The Gift of Guilt (2019), the second of which contained some of their heaviest material to date.

Issued at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, their second album Blossom served as a timely release for the pent-up frustration of those in lockdown, highlighted by the popular track “Hellbent Gate” that includes guest vocals from Jesse Zaraska of Misery Signals. The five-track Encased in Chrome, squeezed into ten ferocious minutes, emerged in spring 2022 after the group’s invigorating return to performing live. Their next album, the equally swift Between Inverted Worlds (2024)—their initial effort as a quartet following Jassmann’s exit—demonstrated growing reach through partnerships with death metal outfit Wake, hardcore heroes Comeback Kid, and indie singer/songwriter City and Colour.