Astronoid call their style of music “thrashgaze.” It’s one of the most accurate descriptions I have ever read. They are like Alcest jamming with Revocation. Take all of the technical prowess of a thrash band and merge them with the vocals and atmosphere of “shoegaze” or “blackgaze” and you have Astronoid. It makes their debut a fascinating and very enjoyable listen.

“Up and Atom” is a good example of what Astronoid are all about. Musically, the song veers from a blitzkrieg thrash attack to a pounding shoegaze rhythm and then back again. The vocal harmonies would not sound out of place on an Alcest album. The main difference being that it’s all in English and not French. “Resin” follows that and showcases the blast beats that would make deafheaven proud. Once again, the song comes first with some very tasty harmonies.

“Homesick” is another favorite of mine. It’s both relentless and catchy. I think fans of Devin Townsend’s poppier side will find a lot to enjoy here since like Devin, it’s clear that Astronoid put the song first. The one critique I have is that by the time you get to the closer “Trail of Sulfur,” you might not have been able to separate each song from the rest. The arrangements tend to stick to the same formula. But all in all, I can’t fault them. It forces you to pay attention.

“Air” is so refreshing. The two sides of their sound not only blend well together, they actually balance each other out perfectly. The sweet harmonies and dense layer of guitars are balanced by amazing technical ability. Has this all been done before? Maybe it has, but certainly not like this and not this well. Astronoid are a band that people need to know about. Blood Music is offering “Air” as “Name Your Price,” so none of you have an excuse not to know this band.

Rating: 8.5/10

Tracklist:
1. Incandescent
2. Up and Atom
3. Resin
4. Violence
5. Homesick
6. Tin Foil Hats
7. Air
8. Obsolete
9. Trail of Sulfur

Label: Blood Music
Bandcamp: blood-music.bandcamp.com/album/air
Facebook: www.facebook.com/astronoidband