Born in 2008, The Band Whose Name is a Symbol aka TBWNIAS was and is about creating the ultimate marriage of improvisation and hard rock edged pyschedelic music. Originally a 4 piece and now 6, TBWNIAS are based out of the legendary Birdman Sounds record shop in Ottawa. The group have now released 9 vinyl only LPs in miniscule editions (Private Press and Lathe Cuts)in which their underground reputation has made them a cult among aficionados of hard thudding, rock riffing kraut.
Masters of the Molehole was released as 350 pressing (screen printed sleeve with insert and all black vinyl) on Cardinal Fuzz (CFUL040) but unfortunately has sold out.
However the good news is that it is available for digital download from The Band Whose Name is a Symbol bandcamp page.
And for customers in the USA the vinyl is available from Captcha Records.
At times reminiscent of 70s rock with excellent improvisation, The Band Whose Name is a Symbol create a great pysch sound with an excellent tension at times from contrasting elements. There’s great drumming and bass which provide a solid backing and some excellent riffing and soloing maintaining a great balance between experimentation, slow burning grooves and more uptempo grooves.
Underworld
Opening with feedback, a distorted trem riff and intertwining lead lines, the song has a great jam quality with some excellent delayed lead lines dropping into a great riff propelled by solid drumming and bass.
Baalslapper
A great uptempo opening from drumming and bass with a great riff with some nice effects. The song maintains a great momentum with solos and riffing building a tension to a final release.
Darkness
I really like how the bass opens the song, the drumming enters to give a great momentum. There’s some really good guitar playing, excellent tones. A great tension from the layered elements. I like how tension builds and resolves been the contrasting elements.
LM
I really like how the song opens with bass and a kind of squelchy riff, the distorted guitar gives a great momentum propelled by solid drumming and bass. Background elements create a great tension. There’s some great improvisation with lead lines and feedback which creates an excellent tension which is released to a great slow jam building tension to a final release.
You Doo Wrong
The opening bass riff has a great urgency contrasted against the more laid back layered sounds. The song has a great groove, I really like how the steady rhythm of the drumming, bass and riff contrast with the improvisation elements which are excellent.
God II
Slightly distorted riff to open, the emerging feedback creates a great tension with drumming and bass entering to give a solid momentum. The song has a slow groove which picks up the pace nicely to create an edgy sound. The solo is excellent, really adding to the song. A great release of tension follows into a slower groove with excellent sound effects and it’s not long before the pace quickens again into another solo before a final release to end the song.
Ice Rings
A shimmering opening to this song with guitar riff and swirling synth, the ride cymbal is really subtle. It’s a great atmosphere, good layering of different sounds and I really like how the percussion builds gradually and how the bass is so prominent. There’s great use of delay and excellent evolution of the song which has a middle eastern feel at times and a great jam quality.
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