Material: Take two parts industrial menace, one part comic levity, stir vigorously and then frost generously with keyboards. That's the recipe for Boston's latest buzz band, Cancer Killing Gemini, a sonic tour de force that impels your ass to shake while your jaw hits the floor. Curiously funky, innovative and colored by a disturbed aesthetic, this five-piece take hardcore groove and hurl headlong into the stratosphere, using stellar effects that infuse a strong feel to their ominous yet uplifting style.
Musicianship: Most exciting is newcomer Chuck Pukmel whose guitar playing seemingly involves every technique in the book, including feedback experimentation and hand-manipulating pedal effects. However, it's Maxwell Butler's three-layer keyboard waterfall that ultimately makes the band sound unique. While Butler's notes flow freely, lead singer Eric Michael Cohen plays his trademark one-note attacks on his own set of keys. Perhaps the mic isn't properly mixed but the surprisingly melodic vocals are too often lost in the industrial whirlwind.
Performance: Despite the evening's apparent logistical challenges, the electronic newcomers rose above to deliver an exhilarating set. Cohen's solid rapport with the crowd was put to good use, peppering the evening with humorous asides and twice mentioning their website's promise to deliver one free track a month. He began the evening wearing an ostentatious coat, but that was quickly tossed aside. Later, a pair of foam noodles appeared and, after bashing the cymbals with them, the band engaged the audience in a playful duel. Despite his amusing scowls, Cohen may connect better with his fans by ditching his instrument and letting his antics take center stage.
Summary: For a young band, Cancer Killing Gemini have amassed an impressive pile of accolades and rightfully so--these guys deserve notice. Potent, unique, funny and exciting, their sound only lacks inspiring vocals. Regardless, these boys have tapped a rich creative reservoir that, given time, may yield sacks of grime-covered riches.
--Andy Kaufmann
