[image-4]Published May 22, 2008.
Shelter with Thieves
A Dark Chapter in the Human Experiment
(I Thought You Were Dead Music)
Like an Atlantic-Canadian version of seminal post-hardcore act Quicks and, Shelter with Thieves incorporate elements of dissonance and melody on their latest release, A Dark Chapter in the Human Experiment. With imagery and lyrics that evoke dystopian modernity, bleak human-made landscapes and the psychological effects of our social environment, Shelter with Thieves' latest release is a sombre and frustrated offering that alternates between introspection and rage. Just returned from a Canadian tour, this Halifax quartet, featuring ex-members of Bucket Truck and Shyne Factory, has been an integral part of the alt-rock scene in this city for quite some time. Released in late 2007 on their own label, I Thought You Were Dead Music, this album further cements the band's reputation. Inspired by the likes of Refused, Trail of the Dead and Queens of the Stone Age, Shelter With Thieves dance a careful line through hardcore, metal and rock territory, sounding stronger than the sum of their parts. Featuring guest appearances by Jon Epworth (The Dean Malenkos), Pamela Under Water and Aaron Collier (JSB) and production by former hHead frontman, Noah Mintz, A Dark Chapter is a solid post-hardcore album with moments of urgency and aggression that calls to mind Helmet's unique style of alternative metal.
Mark Black
