Author: Shane Skinner
If you're a fan of bands like Soundgarden, A Perfect Circle, Incubus, Tool, or even Rush...keep reading. I came across a great band last month when I was at the Green Room here in Plattsburgh, NY. They're called The Integral and they're from Montreal, Canada. I had never heard of them before and didn't know they were going to be playing there that night so I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm pretty finicky with what I like and most bands just don't do it for me, especially live, but these guys rose to the occasion. The band is a 4-piece (drums, bass, guitar, and vocal); stripped down and organic in their sound but intricate and very melodic in their approach. This was the clincher for me because I've always loved punk and hard rock, but appreciate bands that have progressive/technical elements. The Integral have the perfect blend of both. For a band sporting just one axe, they made a lot of noise. The guitar work was fluid and melodic while the bass and drums laid down heavy and authoritative grooves. This afforded their singer the room to really belt out some memorable hooks. I definitely felt their pulse-pounding intensity, which drew roughly 200 strong to the Green Room and kept our rapt attention.
The crowd seemed to love it just as much when they toned down and waded into quieter territory. It's hard to find bands that can switch things up so effortlessly. Although I wasn't familiar with their material I found myself enthralled with each song. The Green Room is a cool little place and doesn't have a stage, so the guys were set-up right on the floor opposite the bar. The patrons were able to get right up close with them and vice versa. The band interacted really well with the audience, and with each other. On several occasions the singer offered the mic to a few enthusiastic onlookers to join in and they happily obliged. Not knowing the lyrics didn't stop them. All in good fun, and isn't that what good music is about?
It was that kind of night, 3 sets of polished rock radio sheen made to set fists pumping and hearts beating. After the gig was over I had the chance to talk to the band members while they tore down their gear. They were all very cool and spoke to me in detail about what the band's been up to. Long story short: they've been playing together for nearly 10 years, had a few member changes along the way, and released a few CDs independently. The Integral has shared the stage with several signed acts like Trapt, Dredg, 3, The Ataris, Pulse Ultra and got a slot on the Vans Warped Tour in Montreal a few years back. I love finding Indie bands that not only make great music, but also work really hard at building a solid track record. I wish these guys all the best.
See this band in an intimate club setting. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to do so. They're planning on doing more gigs in the New England area so if you live around here, don't miss out. They have played to big crowds in their native Montreal so it's only a matter of time before they blow up here in the US and can't be so "under the radar" anymore. The band's official website is http://www.theintegralband.com where you can find mp3s from their killer new album ''002", and some cool merchandise. I'll be reviewing the album here soon so check back from time to time and feel free to comment. Cheers!
Shane Skinner is a freelance writer and music fan based in Plattsburgh, NY.
http://www.theintegralband.com
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