Formed in January 2004 Test Switch Isolator set out to write challenging, intelligent and ultimately brutal music. The band made up of Tom Fenn (vocals) Tony Lucas (guitar) Jonny Mills (bass) and Wayne Sykes (drums) started forging there own take on technical grindcore adding elements of rock n roll, hardcore and freeform jazz, with the resulting chaos sounding like the bastard child of Primus and Converge. After nearly a year of gigging in Leeds and surrounding areas the band decided it was finally time to record there spazztic chaotic noise. Spending many weeks trying to find a suitable producer for the project they finally got in touch with top UK producer Dave Chang ( Stampin Ground, Linea 77, Johnny Truant, Landmine Spring) who after hearing the band decided he wanted take on the madness.

In Febraury 2005 the band spent a week at Huddersfield's Beaumount Street studio's recording "Let’s Dance" a 10 song introduction into the scary world of TSI. After mixing down the album at Andy Sneaps Backstage studio in Derby (which has been home to many great bands including Machine Head, Stampin Ground and Nevermore to name a few) the band started looking for a label that would be willing to take TSI to the next level. After hearing a copy of the album through Dave Chang, and being suitably blown away, Casket were eagerly chasing the band to get their signatures nailed down. TSI have built a large fan base in their short time together, peddling their "jazz spazz grindcore" all over the UK to dumbstruck amazement, and becoming well known for their brutal stage performance that has been described as "a bar room brawl using their guitars as weapons and destroying anything in their path". Since Metal Coven received the album, we have been playing it a lot, and we have found ourselves intrigued by the many rapid changes in tempo and atmosphere. One second Test Switch Isolator sounds totally grindish and the next they’re into some heavy funky shit. You’re not always sure what’s coming to you.

Things aren’t always what they appear to be. The album varies a lot in every way possible, and it makes the album anything but boring to listen to. This is not like opera, where it’s more or less the same all way through. Test Switch Isolator is the bastard child of Primus and Converge, and certainly a band worth paying attention to. For those of you who are familiar with bands on the Danish metal scene, Test Switch Isolator is in the vein of such bands like Düreforsög, The Psyke Project and Kloak.

 With this recent release Test Switch Isolator is embarking upon a career that could very well last a long time. They’re already a well established band back home, and taking their qualities in consideration, there’s no way of saying where this will end.

http://www.coprorecords.co.uk/

©Metal Coven.dk 1999-2005 04-12-2005 03:33:40