These Arms Are Snakes

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when hardcore bands started broadening their musical palettes, but Seattle quartet These Arms Are Snakes renders it a moot exercise. With ex-Botch (and current Russian Circles) bassist Brian Cook anchoring much of the band's songwriting, These Arms pushes the evolution of post-hardcore into uncharted territory. Along with like-minded innovators such as Isis and Portugal the Man, the group incorporates a stunning range of influences and isn't shy about going prog on your ass. But where Botch used its brainpower and technical skill to pummel listeners with relentless brute force, These Arms moderates the attack substantially, rides its musical ideas longer, and paints a complex picture of cerebral angst from a grown-up perspective. If there were such a thing as "adult contemporary hardcore," These Arms would certainly fit the bill.